1 Sam 2:8

"He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He has set the world upon them." 1 Sam 2:8

Ever noticed that most of the greatest preachers were from "poor stock"? If I have my biographies right, one great (was it D.L. Moody?) started as a shoe salesman. Billy Graham came from the hills of the Carolinas. Martin Luther was a priest . . . with a vow of poverty. Smith Wigglesworth was a plumber. God has a way of exalting the poor and humbling the rich.

Hannah sees the truth in today's verse. God "raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles. . ." Powerful word pictures. Powerful truths.

Jesus extended it when He said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, they shall inherit the earth." He says it is the attitude that makes a man rich. Those who are humble, modest living, faithful to the Lord, not boastful nor proud; they are the great ones! I fear that may leave most of us "proud to be....." types out. We DO need to watch our attitudes - especially in reference to those of a "lower class" than we! I was taught that we were a classless society. Not so, even in the church we have separations. While the rich may mingle with the "common man," they abandon completely the "street person" who walks in off the street. The "uppity women" turn up their noses at the "aroma" emanating from the "poor" person sitting next to them - they may even get up and move.

Yes, we need to watch our attitudes. Those we turn up our noses to who may be in front of us in the line to see Jesus. He may even say to them "Well done thou good and faithful servant. Great is your reward." He may then turn to us and say "I never knew you." Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.