It has been said, "Poor people have poor habits." Wow! Think about that. This is poverty mentality. Things get decrepit because they are not tended, something needs a new coat of paint, the garden needs weeding, stuff is left out in the weather, clothing requires fixing, car is in need of cleaning or polishing, housework lacks attention, papers have to be filed, accounts need updating, clutter accumulates and has to be tossed, UFO's (UnFinished Objects) wait to be completed, money is spent on unnecessary or "make do" things so it's not there for the quality things. We always think and say we "can't afford it", we think someone else always has more or better or is more attractive or seems smarter, and on it goes! We even think that because of others' attitudes we are not able ... and we rob ourselves of 'now' in our procrastinating thinking of 'I will when ...'
This is all poverty mentality related. If it doesn't make a person look poor, or believe he/she is poor, it makes one feel "oh poor me!" It is something set into our belief system, not just something lacking but something there in place of what the attitude should be.
This even comes down to how we care for our personal selves, our bodies and not just our minds. We don't eat properly so our weight is not as it should be, or our sugars are out of whack, or we take 'over the counter' drugs to fix the problem that is caused by lack of sleep or not enough exercise or improper diet. What is wrong with us? Poverty mentality. Are we not worth taking care of? Are we too poor to bother with?
And what about our minds? Where do we spend our time? What mental and informational diet are we living on? What are we feeding our minds and what is the result? Where do our idle thoughts go?
"Poor people have poor habits." Are we not the richest, most blessed, of all people - being His own? How are we living that out? What habits do we have? How are we handling our 'inheritance'? Are we wasting it? Losing it? Selling it? Giving it away? Letting it become decrepit?
1 Peter 1:16 - because it is written, "Be holy for I am holy."
-- This is part of it - living in who we really are in Christ, and walking it out.
Look at what James said:
James 2:5 - Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Matthew 25:23 - Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.
-- If we take care of, be responsible for, what we have - how can we suffer loss and be 'poor'?
Luke 16:10 - He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
-- We are to be responsible stewards of whatever we have. Are we doing that?
Finally, whatever God reveals to us He gives no condemnation with it, so if we get feelings of guilt or shame when seeing where our habits need to change, we know they are not from Him. Those feelings come from the enemy, so we must be aware and walk in God's wealth, not the enemy's poverty mentality of 'shame on me.' Our Lord will not only show the need, He will make provision for us to walk in.
We are 'among men most blessed'. We are children of the Most High God, and we have been given the right and privilege to live it out.