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"From the Riches of Heaven to the Poverty of Humanity." "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)The apostle Paul had a sense of the great contrast between Jesus in the heavenly realm and the incarnate Christ. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul explained that Jesus emptied himself to become incarnate (Philippians 2:7). Before that, He had direct fellowship with the Father without any hindrances. Like the Father, He was omnipresent, omniscience, and omnipotent. The angels would have fallen down before His glory and sung His praise. In Glory, He was never hungry, thirsty, or tired.Suddenly, He was confined within a virgin's womb. Then He was delivered in a manger. He was dependent on Joseph and Mary to feed Him. I imagine He was mocked as a child for being "the good boy." His actions and words were often misinterpreted. He was reviled, ridiculed, and rejected by His own creation. That was certainly becoming poor. Yet, it was for our sake. For there was no other way for Him to come and redeem us.Worst of all was the torture on the cross. Not only was it the manner of His crucifixion reserved for the vilest and nastiest of criminals, but it meant dark hours of separation from the Father, the worst of all conditions as Jesus bore our sins. The contrast with His heavenly condition could not have been greater. The demonstration of His love could not have been clearer (John 15:13). He gave it all up for you and me. Now He has returned to His glorious state and is waiting to receive us.Friends, here comes simplicity in its purest form. Seeing that the Lord Jesus gave up all of that much for you and me, then how much are willing to give up for Him?