For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

We have all read accounts of extremely wealthy people who have lost everything, almost overnight, through poor investment or for other reasons – some through no fault of their own. But we rarely read of anyone giving up their wealth voluntarily in order to embrace poverty. This exactly what Jesus Christ did when He became a man. The above Bible passage speaks of:

1. The riches of Christ – though He was rich
It is impossible to imagine the glory of heaven. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is worshipped by all its inhabitants, exercising the power of creation and all the glorious eternal attributes of the godhead. Without limitation in knowledge, power and authority – nothing can surpass His greatness.

2. The poverty of Christ – yet for your sakes He became poor
What a contrast awaited Him when He came into this world. Not just the material poverty of being born in a stable, but the poverty that comes through the limitations He embraced. He was made subject to every human impediment – yet without sin. He who was once glorified became “despised and rejected by men”, dying on the cross in the place of sinners.

3. Our riches in Christ – that you through His poverty might become rich
The riches we can have in Christ, if we truly believe, are beyond everything the world can give. He gives eternal life, a living relationship with God, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. As we remember His poverty in His birth, let us also embrace the riches that are ours in Him.

Jim Winter, Christmas 2011