Ya know you make a good point. Those who think that by being in poverty...will earn them a place in Heaven....are in a way trying to earn salvation keeping themselves in bondage to the law and not able to obey God by giving something to someone, because they lack the funds or faith to do so. Because just like the rich person trusting in riches or money....they are doing the same thing just on the other side.
That reminds me of something that happened decades ago.
A church friend came to me because he was struggling in his business. As we talked, he came up with the following nonsense. "I believe that God is keeping me in poverty so that I always have to turn to him for everything, instead of being able to do what I want to do."
I pointed out to him what James said.-
James2v14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
My friend gloried in his poverty because it made him feel righteous, self righteous, but as I pointed out, if anyone came to him hungry and in need, he had absolutely nothing to give other than the pious advice, "Go in peace, keep warm and well fed."
As Jesus said in Matthew9v29
"Be it unto you according to your faith."
My friend had abundant faith for being poor, and that is exactly what he always got. In no way was he being kept in poverty by God.
In their manic condemnation of the so called "prosperity gospel," many christians have adopted abundant faith for poverty, thus poverty is what they get.
Even if my friend wanted to help someone in need, he would first have to go away and pray for provision, which was unlikely to come because of his belief in poverty.
As a businessman, I did a lot of ministry and counseling with fellow businessmen to help them understand how the Lord would bless them within their business life. Indeed we saw many businessmen have their lives turn around as God intervened.
One day I was asked to call someone in another town who was in trouble financially. I called him and introduced myself. I was met with a tirade of dogma as he launched himself against this "evil prosperity gospel." I had not even spoken a word!
As I tried to encourage him to come to our monthly business fellowship meetings, he kept going back to the same mantra. I tried to give him some testimonies but he was deaf to any good thing I could say. He was emphatic that the purpose of the gospel was solely to get people to heaven, and that it was never God's purpose that we should receive any material blessings at his hand.
As I parted from the conversation, I simply said to him, "Well my friend, be it unto you according to your faith." He was determined that his God wanted him to be poor, and that was his constant experience.