The Wisdom of Poverty

The poverty mentioned by Jesus in his teachings is of a very special kind--having to do with things of the spirit. It is a form of "spiritual poverty." Here is one way of understanding it:

For someone whose trade is emptiness, kenosis,
and whose work is letting go (fana'),
the search for certainty, knowledge,
or even religion itself
has come to an end.

When what we thought of as our "self"
is gone,
only God remains--
just God.

This is the meaning of
"Blessed are the poverty-stricken,
for they shall see God."
When the poverty of "letting go" become complete,
you find God.

--Based upon a poem-prayer by Abu Sa'id Abi'l-Khayr from Love's Alchemy