--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had rather be poor in His service than…" description: "\"I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own.\" — Charles Spurgeon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png" --- # I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own. ![“I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own.” quote by Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png) > “I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own.” [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Preferring humble service to God over personal wealth. **In simple terms:** Choose spiritual poverty over material riches. Key Takeaway Serve God, not wealth. Themes faith humility wealth Mood devout thoughtful Type religious inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - financial stewardship - church leadership - personal budgeting Key Concepts spiritual priorities service ethic Questions to Reflect On - What does true wealth mean? - How can you serve while earning? A Different Perspective Wealth can also fund good works. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poor service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-service/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [In New York, the former lack of real competition allowed taxis to extract excessive charges, regardless of the poor service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/in-new-york-the-former-lack-of-real-competition-allowed-taxis-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [“Our leaders, who were chosen by us to represent and serve us, have failed us. They become angry and defensive when we peacefully ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/our-leaders-who-were-chosen-by-us-to-represent-and-serve-us-have/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [“Our culture doesn't seem to value competence as much as it used to. Now we seem to want to do and get everything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/our-culture-doesn-t-seem-to-value-competence-as-much-as-it-used-to/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [“Twelve years ago we characterized the scene as poor service, no service, or self-service. Unfortunately, little has changed. As a result, customers understandably hesitate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/twelve-years-ago-we-characterized-the-scene-as-poor-service-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sports fans have been mistreated for a long time. They have overpaid for inferior food and they have had poor service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-checketts/sports-fans-have-been-mistreated-for-a-long-time-they-have-overpaid/) [Dave Checketts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-checketts/) > [My life is one long daily, hourly record of answered prayer. For physical health, for mental overstrain, for guidance given marvelously, for errors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/my-life-is-one-long-daily-hourly-record-of-answered-prayer-for/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Know how and how much to tip people who expect gratuities, even in the case of poor service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/know-how-and-how-much-to-tip-people-who-expect-gratuities-even-in-the/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [Countrytime Caravan Repairs Geraldton supposedly repaired my Trail a Mate Jack??? charged $92 for a $45 job, I supplied the repair kit and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanson-melbourne/countrytime-caravan-repairs-geraldton-supposedly-repaired-my-trail-a/) Hanson Melbourne > [ “He \[John Summerson\] wrote that Georgian buildings, in particular, did not rely on an 'irrecoverable sense of craftsmanship for the pleasure they give. Personally… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-tyack/he-john-summerson-wrote-that-georgian-buildings-in-particular-did-not/) Geoffrey Tyack > [“The most spiritual people I’ve ever met were not “givers” they were communicators. You don’t give people crumbs. You give them the whole piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-most-spiritual-people-i-ve-ever-met-were-not-givers-they-were/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The result is that incumbents stay in business, facing only limited competition, even as they charge high prices for poor service.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wainwright/the-result-is-that-incumbents-stay-in-business-facing-only-limited/) [Tom Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wainwright/) > [While other state governments stiff their vendors, close parks, delay tax refunds, and ignore unacceptably poor service levels, Indiana state employees are setting national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/while-other-state-governments-stiff-their-vendors-close-parks-delay/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [The word "tip" stands for "to insure promptness." So when should you give it? Up front,of course. Sophisticated people don't take chances on poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-word-tip-stands-for-to-insure-promptness-so-when-should-you-give/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Hire reliable and professional locksmith company in Twickenham It is very well known that locking systems and security systems are quite important to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-lane/hire-reliable-and-professional-locksmith-company-in-twickenham-it-is/) Willow Lane > [Holy service in constant fellowship with God is heaven below](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/holy-service-in-constant-fellowship-with-god-is-heaven-below/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Charles Spurgeon > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [He is not humanity deified. He is not Godhead humanized. He is God. He is man. He is all that God is, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/he-is-not-humanity-deified-he-is-not-godhead-humanized-he-is-god-he/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Christ came to bring healing to those who are spiritually sick-you say that you are perfectly well, so you must go your own way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/christ-came-to-bring-healing-to-those-who-are-spiritually-sick-you/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Who among you today is doing the most for your Master's kingdom? I will tell you. Lend me a spiritual thermometer by which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/who-among-you-today-is-doing-the-most-for-your-master-s-kingdom-i/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I do not know when I am more perfectly happy than when I am weeping for sin at the foot of the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-do-not-know-when-i-am-more-perfectly-happy-than-when-i-am-weeping/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/light-physical-is-said-by-solomon-to-be-sweet-but-gospel-light-is/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“A mother can translate baby-talk: she comprehends incomprehensible noises. Even so doth our Father in heaven know all about our poor baby talk, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-mother-can-translate-baby-talk-she-comprehends-incomprehensible/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/god-is-our-portion-christ-our-companion-the-spirit-our-comforter/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Jesus poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/jesus-poured-out-his-soul-in-life-before-he-poured-it-out-unto-death/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-we-want-revivals-we-must-revive-our-reverence-for-the-word-of-god/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Believe only half of the praise and half of the criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/believe-only-half-of-the-praise-and-half-of-the-criticism/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Explore all 1,523 Charles Spurgeon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Spurgeon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than-rich-in-my-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than-rich-in-my-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/charles-spurgeon-82_inspirational_i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than_2044183.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had rather be poor in His service than rich in my own.” — Charles Spurgeon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Spurgeon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had rather be poor in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than-rich-in-my-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-had-rather-be-poor-in-his-service-than-rich-in-my-own/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```