For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9

When did Jesus become poor?

Was it when He was born? Jesus was born in a stable to a humble carpenter and his wife. But that's not when Jesus became poor.

Was it during His earthly ministry? Jesus was often homeless with no place to lay His head. But that's not when Jesus became poor.

A clue is found in this verse. We're told that we became rich through His poverty. We are rich even when poor materially (Revelation 2:9). We are rich because of what we have in heaven (Matthew 6:20). We are rich because of our enduring inheritance that will not pass away (1 Peter 1:4). 

If Jesus made us rich spiritually, the poverty here must be spiritual. Jesus gave up much to come to the earth, but He gave up even more when He suffered and died for us on the cross. Jesus gave up more than we could ever imagine when He went to the cross. He became truly poor for us! 

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)