Poverty - part 2 - At the Roots

When discussing the term poverty, it is vital for Christians to approach the dialogue from a biblical perspective. Though our American cultural has told us that poverty is the result of the lack of material resources, I believe the Bible sees poverty as a deeper issue. Human beings, God’s crown jewel of creation, have profound potential and value. The place this potential often falls short is through the fallen nature of man first brought about through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. With the entrance of sin came the reality of spiritual, emotional and physical poverty, a complex and devastating result that continues to afflict the world today. The poverty of man is grounded in the brokenness of his four key relationships established by God from the beginning. The most obvious and detrimental broken relationship is man’s separation fromGod. Separation from God and brokenness in this primary relationship has both severe current and eternal consequences. Next is man’s brokenness with others, himself, and all of God’s creation. These four relationships are characteristic of all humans, each made in the image of their Creator. Therefore, poverty as defined by Bryant Myers in Walking with the Poor (pg 86) is “a result of relationships that do not work (are broken), that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable.” The consequence of this holistic brokenness manifests itself in a multifaceted poverty that can cause pain and grief in all aspects of individual, family, and societal life. Many of the examples of poverty that exist in the world today (hunger, enslavement, sickness) are a direct result of broken relationships that have brought about corruption or oppression, therefore, resulting in severe poverty.


On the flip side, when viewing poverty from a biblical perspective one recognizes that material wealth does not bring holistic poverty alleviation. The secularist worldview that promotes the stockpiling of money and material resources may provide for physical necessities, but it does
not reconcile our broken relationships. Some of the wealthiest people in the world are suffering from severe spiritual and social poverties. The brokenness they are experiencing from being separated from God has lead to a life without purpose, wrecked marriages and shattered relationships. The decay is there and is often masked by material wealth and worldly recognition. The reality is this. Without the reconciliation power of Jesus Christ, man continues to live in a spiraling state of spiritual, emotional, and physical poverty.


Hope is not lost. Christians believe that the blood of Jesus was shed to redeem mankind and “reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven” (Col. 1:20). When a person submits his life to the Lordship of Jesus a restoration process begins. Hope for the brokenness of his relationships in all capacities is restored. What Christians must also realize is that poverty is a deep rooted issue in cultural and societal worldviews. For this reason, the immediate impact on physical poverty is many times not apparent. Poverty, in many cases
is a generational issue, re-enforced through lies that have destroyed and debilitated one’s ability to grow and develop his potential. Many of those living in severe material poverty have developed a fatalistic mindset that breeds hopelessness for any sort of change or cure to their current condition. They live with little optimism of things being any different than the way they have always been. Therefore, Christians who toil at the deepest levels of poverty alleviation must be advised that overcoming physical poverty takes time, effort and great intentionality. However, in the midst of these obstacles is recognition of God’s life- changing power. The faith of a Christian is rooted in the assurance that as man submits, God restores, promise returns, behaviors are changed and poverty (from a biblical perspective) can slowly be alleviated.

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Not all physical poverty is equal. The child dying of starvation, the widow desperate for medicine or care, or the family displaced by famine, hurricane or earthquake is in need of immediate action. Christians must not wait. Christians must react with due diligence and passion to serve and care for the immediate physical needs of these individuals. With each bowl of rice served, and every dose of medicine given, Christians must realize that a greater message is being spoken. This is a message of hope and reconciliation. A message that declares that all men have been made in the image of God and have infinite value, dignity and purpose. As Christians serve they must also connect. The Christian aspiration should be to not only connect the individual to the love of Jesus but also connect them to an entity that can walk with them through the hardships of life and disciple them in the promise offered through Jesus Christ on the cross.


Enter the local church.


The final section of this article and next post will focus on the power of the local
church and the Christian response.