Friend Of The Poor

What does it mean to be poor? If you just live in the United States you are more than likely to be richer that half the world. Most of us believe we understand the meaning of the word poverty. The meaning we give this word reflects the way we look at, think, and make sense of our world. The definition that many people give poverty is the condition of those groups of people we abstractly call " the poor". But these people are not abstract. They are human beings with names fearfully and wonderfully created in the image of God. we must remember this because the world tends to view the poor as stupid, unintelligent, helpless, nameless objects in which we have the right to bestow our compassion on in whatever way seems proper or right to us.

The poor, when we average it out, do not have food, shelter or housing, and clean water to drink. They have a need for schools, better roads, and means of better farming, etc. So what do we do? We make a plan to provide these missing things: food, low cost housing, wells and education. Christians add the gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ as one of these missing things also. When limited to this though, we view ourselves as the providers and put into the minds of the poor that they are incomplete human beings that need us to make them whole. Seeing the world in terms of relationships helps give us insights into what poverty is. This allows us insight to trace who is doing what to whom.

One of the aspects of being in poverty is being excluded. We make people poor when we label them as outcast. We must move beyond this understanding of poverty as a lack of things and knowledge. We must see that the true poverty is the spiritual poverty that these people lack. This does not mean that we neglect the physical needs, but we need to look at it more wholistically

It is clear in James 5 that God's judgment is aroused not only against the oppressors, but also on behalf of the poor. This passage is one of literally hundreds of passages in the Bible which teach us that as members of God's family, we have a moral obligation to manifest his concern for the poor (see Proverbs 14:31; 29:7).

Living in the suburbs, as most of us do, it's easy to think that the only people who are poor are those who are lazy, and we are ignorant of just how widespread this problem is. Consider the following facts.

- One quarter of the world's population (over 1 billion people) live in desperate poverty. 12-15 million people will die this year of starvation and malnutrition-related diseases. This figure includes 35,000 children each day, including 50 percent of all children in Central America before they reach age 6.

- Americans represent only 6 percent of the world's population, but we have almost 50 percent of the world's income and we use 35 percent of its resources. As a country, we eat enough food to feed the 1 billion people who live in desperate poverty. Most Americans have adequate access to medical care, but 40 percent of all Latin Americans have no access to any kind of medical care.

- Of course, there are also plenty of poor in the U.S. In Columbus' Windsor Terrace, for example, the average household (consisting of one parent with five children) has an annual income of $3,100.

Yet American Christians spend just a little bit more annually on missions (their major way of helping the poor) than they spend on chewing gum! Ironically, the roles of Jas. 5:1-6 have been reversed. Are we rich Christian living in an era of hunger?

Biblically, there is recognition that poverty can be a result of the individual's own bad choices or lifestyle (ex. laziness or greed) or even a judgement for disobedience. But most commonly in the Bible, the poor are seen primarily as victims of injustice or circumstances beyond their own power. "A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away." (Prov 13:23) They are to be helped, not blamed. Poverty is an evil to be abolished. God himself is concerned for the poor, and about the social injustices which oppress the poor and weak. His response is to provide for the destitute, fight the cause of the oppressed, and honor the humble (Ps 109:31, 113:5-9 140:12, Lk 1:51-52). He calls us to have the same compassion and commitment.

So, firstly, we should ask whether we tend to see the poor as to blame for their poverty, or as victims in need of help, justice, and honor.

Secondly, we need to examine our own hearts to see whether we are genuinely concerned. A defining characteristic of those considered by God to be righteous is a concern for justice for the poor (Prov 29:7). Indeed, God seems to take our attitude to the poor personally - as if our kindness or contempt towards the poor is also towards him (Prov 17:5, 19:17). This is a position that Jesus also seems to adopt for himself (Lk 12:33, Matt 25:35-40). We must not close our hearts to the poor. "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered" (Prov 21:13). The Lord said that the sin of the people of Sodom which brought judgement upon them was that they were "arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy" (Ezek 16:49).

A right attitude of honor, concern and compassion for the poor will lead firstly to a personal response of generosity, hospitality, and service (Job 31:16-22, Prov 31:20, Matt 25:31-45, 1Tim. 6:18 etc). It will lead us to an eagerness to give up not only our money, but also our time, energy, and comfort. The attachment to our own prosperity, comfort and prestige are often the obstacles to following God - an obedience shaped by the cross of self-denial, suffering, and service

We also need to be careful to be righteous and just in the way we pursue business and our own interests (Ps 112:5, Mic 6:8, Ja 5:1-6). By seeking the cheapest deal for ourselves, we are often pushing the producer into poverty. Buying and supporting Fair Trade is one expression of Christian concern for justice. There is a cost to living righteously, but there is always blessing with it (Ps 112:5-9, Prov 11:24-28, 22:9)