LETTERS: PRINCE OR PAUPER: WHICH IS WHICH?

To the editor:

Within the past few days, the world has experienced the loss of two individuals, one of whom I knew and one of whom I only knew of. Society has defined the one I only knew of as a prince. Almost certainly, society would define the one of whom I knew as a pauper. This has caused me to meditate on the value which is placed on the rich and the famous and upon the poor by society's standards.

As I write, thoughts of the Lord Jesus come to mind, such as "the Prince of Peace" and "He became poor that we might become rich." How does one draw a parallel between the prince and the pauper? How can one define the terms of wealthy and poor?

Most any dictionary will define these words almost entirely as the abundance or lack of material possessions. Even with respect to material possessions, can one truly draw a parallel between a prince and a pauper? Most of learn very early in life that one can be rich in material possessions and still be poor, just as one with nothing material to call his own can be considered rich in wisdom and live. Thus, should one conclude that a prince can be a pauper and a pauper can be a prince? Perhaps.

In the end, this truth has always been and will always be. The world will always focus its attention on material possessions and those who possess them. God has focused and always will focus his attention on the treasures of one's heart. Best of all, God loves both the prince and the pauper.

RON FARROW

Cape Girardeau