I can’t really talk intelligently about poverty because I have never experienced it. I have heard of it, I have seen it, I have touched it, I have smelled it, but I have never tasted it. Not that you have to experience poverty to be intelligent about it, but furthermore I cannot talk intelligently about poverty because I am uniformed, much to my shame. I am simply another expressionless face in the crowd staring uncomfortably at pictures of boned-flesh, while I thoughtlessly listen to sound bites crowding the air. I know prosperity, that’s all. I have never gone a day without anything essential to life, except if I misbehaved as a boy, then there was no pizza on Sunday night. I know, poor me. But I got a-thinkin’. When we think of poor, we often think of disadvantaged.
Scripture consistently references the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, etc., but it talks about this to the point where it seems that poverty is actually more advantageous than riches. This thinking would then necessarily infer that wealth is disadvantageous. But, how so? I say, toward a life of true fullness and riches (pun intended). The rich have much, but never enough. The poor, who is content on the other hand, has little, but has more than enough.
Just to clarify, I am not thinking of poverty as epidemic: those who do not eat, those living in AIDS-stricken communities with no access to health clinics, those in regions where clean water is as scarce as food, those in places where life itself cannot survive given the harshness of its conditions. Those are difficult places for me to think about and in knowing they exist I will likely turn away because I can do so little to help.
I am thinking of poverty in the sense of struggle, in the sense that each day is unsure, in the sense that life is threatening, in the sense of daily lack. Vulnerability is a word that would describe what I am thinking of - vulnerability to pretty much anything. It is in this sort of poverty that the fragility of life is a common theme and as a result daily intervention is necessary.
It is those who struggle every day to provide sufficiently for their families and loved ones who have been given a great gift, an eternal lesson - daily provision comes only from the loving Provider. The rich cannot believe that they need anything, let alone someone else to provide for them. As a result the wealthy may be tempted to find satisfaction in themselves, when in fact the very thing that matters in life is neglected the most, the thing that brings greatest satisfaction – solidarity of the soul with God through daily communion with him. For the wealthy this is disadvantage for there is always the dangerous possibility of imitating the rich young ruler, who being earthly rich was spiritually destitute.
I have never thought of poverty as advantageous or beneficial. I suppose concerning the overall well-being of a soul, poverty is a legitimate catalyst of spiritual and personal growth. After all, deep satisfaction comes in life when we find ourselves immersed in the richness that is God. Being earthly poor and heavenly rich seems to be for more advantageous.
God is the defender of the poor and will plead their case. Christ will call all of the rich, the powerful, the privileged into council to answer for their actions. Some will rejoice, some will be ashamed; all, poor and rich alike, will experience a just ruling, the rich will just have to answer for more.
I realize this post is ridiculously idealized, and does not really “Focus on Poverty.” Like I said, I really cant talk intelligently about it, but it is true that though poverty will always be with us. It is equally true that Christ will always be the defender of the poor – in wealth and in spirit. God will plead their cause.
Focus on Poverty asks us to consider the plight of another. So I must become more aware of the poverty that oppresses much of the world today, a poverty I do not understand.