Homeless and Impoverished

I just recently presented a paper on poverty at a conference in Ohio. There are many theories on poverty as it is a complex subject. As Christians, complex or not, we must ask the question, are we doing enough to combat poverty?

There are many many references to the poor and poverty in scripture. What is our response to poverty? What is your response to poverty? When a homeless person walks up to you, what is your first thought? Are you concerned, repulsed, annoyed, sad, mad or maybe there is another emotion that fits better than those mentioned? This initial thought will tell you a lot about your ideas on poverty; my own did.

What do you believe about poverty and the homeless? Well, if you believe that those who are impoverished and homeless are mostly to blame for their condition, then, you might be right in some cases, but, in most cases, you are not. That specific thought pattern is a Social Darwinian thought that seeks to place the responsibility of poverty and homelessness on those who are impoverished and homeless. This thought is mainly a western thought and grants an added benefit to those who entertain it, a freedom from the guilt and responsibility because, after all, the poor and homeless are poor and homeless because of their own inept abilities to function in the world (I am being factious here.). If this is your thought, don't be too ashamed as it was my initial thought as well. It is a thought transmitted to us through many of our societal structures that ingrain a certain normative standard.

The poor and homeless are not someone else's problem no matter how hard we try to make sure that they are, especially if we are followers of Christ. Our tendency is to ignore this problem because there is no quick fix or immediate solution, but what if that is God's plan for us? The poor have been with us since the beginning of time, and, I suspect, they will be with us until the end of time. Scripture references the poor from beginning to end. Jesus also had a lot to say about the poor:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed," (Luke 4:18)

"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20).

Throughout the old and new testament, references to the poor are plentiful.

"Blessed is the one who considers the poor!

In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;" (Psalm 41:1)

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,

and he will repay him for his deed"(Proverbs 19:10)"

There is a sense in scripture that the poor are a reminder, if you will, of who we are without God, and where we could all end one day. We are all moments away from being poor and homeless. As Sojourners in this world, we are poor and homeless, in a sense, until our King comes to reign. As Believers in Christ, our views about the poor should be different than they are. I found that my own views did not match my Lord's views. He had compassion for them. He served them and listened to them. He came for them, at least that is what he says in scripture.

Philip Yancey writes this about the poor, 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, with no where to turn, the desperate just may turn to Jesus, the only one who can offer the deliverance they long for. Jesus really believed that a person who is poor in spirit, or mourning, or persecuted, or hungry and thirsty for righteousness has a peculiar ‘advantage’ over the rest of us. Maybe, just maybe, the desperate person will cry to God for help. If so, that person is truly blessed.”

Yancey also writes a different version of what he thinks the Beatitudes might say if written in and applied to current reality:

Happy are the “pushers”: for they get on in the world.
Happy are the hard-boiled: for they never let life hurt them.
Happy are they who complain: for they get their own way in the end.
Happy are the blase (nonchalant): for they never worry over their sins.
Happy are the slave-drivers: for they get results.
Happy are the knowledgeable men of the world: for they know their way around.
Happy are the trouble-makers: for they make people take notice of them.

Whatever your thoughts of the poor are, they are with us and will be with us. Does scripture call us to ignore them or push them off as someone else's responsibility? Are the poor the government's responsibility, or are the poor the church's responsibility? Great questions to consider as you spend time with your God. I will leave you with an article from Q: Ideas for the Common Good. The article is entitled, 43,000 People, and the author is Laura Herrod. Click HERE to read the article.

The homeless and impoverished... my sense is that their presence in scripture and in life is for a reason, and maybe that reason is this: they ought to be part of our lives in some way in order to keep us in service, in prayer, in gift and in constant trust and obedience of our God. I know... this is a radical thought, but it is one I can't get past in scripture. Blessings!