Let's start with the presumption that we don't clearly know what "poverty" is...
When we think of poverty, most of us think of the homeless person or American Appalachia or the slums of Rio de Janeiro or areas of war torn Africa. Earthquake stricken Haiti may also come to mind. These examples are just tips of the iceberg when we come to the subject of "poverty".
Poverty is actually much more than that. The dictionary (any of them) defines poverty as: 1. the state of being poor (don't you hate a definition that uses the root of the word?) and 2. a lack of something.
One of the things that confounds so many non-Christians is that we Chrisians live a dichotomous life. What does that mean? Well, as an example the Bible tells us that in order to be strong, you must first become weak or even broken. To the unbeliever, that just doesn't make sense. But then again, we're speaking of God's way of doing things and God's economy so of course it's not going to make sense to those who believe that the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is just a silly book rather than God's Holy Word.
Before we get into the weeds of more fully defining poverty, let's take a look at what Jesus said about it and other aspects of living a godly (dichotomous) life. Here's what He says to the masses in His monologue titled the Beatitudes (everybody likes and respects the Beatitudes):
"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:1-16
In God's economy, being poor, mournful, meek, hungry and thirsty are good things. Although I've just taken those words out their specific context, the conveyed meaning is still there. Those five traits are aspects of poverty and I will suggest that every man, woman and child that walks the earth experiences poverty in one way or another.
Let's get into the weeds...
Kinds or types of poverty
Yes, there are different kinds of poverty that people suffer and one is not any better than another. As I've studied and thought and prayed about this topic of poverty, I believe I've come to understand that there are four general categories of poverty: Economic, Cultural or Social, Relational and Spiritual. After we describe them, we'll look at two general causes or sources, so don't run ahead...
Economic poverty is what almost all of us expect poverty to look like. It's typically dirty and infested with a variety of maladies from vermin (rats and other scavengers), pestilence (bugs) and disease. Economic poverty surrounds us in cities,suburbs and rural areas. Poverty is an equal opportunity malady. Economic poverty can be found on every continent except possibly for Antarctica. In most cities of the world poverty is unceremoniously shoved to the side because it interferes with "progress" or attractiveness.
Economic poverty usually protrays itself as squalor and homelessness, lacking basic needs or utilities such as running water (doesn't make a difference hot or cold or both), a sewage system, electricity, telephone service, etc. Those living in these conditions are typically malnourished and uneducated, nevermind lacking decent clothing and furnishings. The unbelieving world wonders (often aloud) how a supposed "loving and caring" God can allow this to happen... He does... and so do you and I.
Cultural or social poverty is not as easy to see or define. From what I can figure out, cultural or social poverty is almost a more "western" phenomena, although not exclusively. Cultural poverty refers to a lack of morals which decay the society in which it is left to fester and spread. Language continually becomes more crude and vulgar. People begin treating one another as things or objects rather than "equals". Let's stop and quickly say that "equal" refers to an individual's right to live and prosper as he or she sees fit while not infringing on others.
Social poverty further manifests itself with a growing drug or substance abuse culture. Sexuality (any kind) is redefined to suit the desires (not rights) of certain groups or individuals. Neighborhood "pride" is squelched with the idea that "someone else" should be taking care of the person or people or structures (infrastructure) of the society or culture. Individual responsibility is negated in lieu of special group ideologies. As with economic poverty, cultural or social poverty leads to an overall decay of the individual person.
Relational poverty I believe is a problem or issue that is growning in leaps and bounds - and we're generally unaware of it. We go from home to school or work and return. We generally have shallow relationships with the majority of people that we come into contact with. We are busy taking care of our own personal needs, trying to satisfy our own personal desires... and still coming up short. And it doesn't stop there.
Relational poverty is creeping into our families and rotting them from the inside out. And I'm as guilty as anyone reading this post and study series. We in 21st century America are far too attached to our cell (mobile) phones, tablets, MP3 players and the like. Rather than forming true and loving relationships, men and women now hook up for sex as "friends with benefits". Like the ficticious Eleanor Rigby of Beatles fame, far too many of us have become one of "the lonely people" wondering where we come from, where we're going to and where we do belong. That's a very sad commentary of the state of our human "existence". We're not living anymore, we're existing. We have gone from "human beings", satisfied with simply being in our loved ones presence to "human doings", always acting busy and never being truly satisfied. We have in many cases lost what it means to just BE.
Spiritual poverty. Of these four kinds of poverty, I believe Spiritual poverty is the underlying cause and type of all of them. When it comes to spiritual poverty, we lack one thing: a relationship with God, in the person of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now I know one of you is going to say, "but I'm spiritual" or perhaps even worse, "I'm a Christian".
The unbeliever or person who believes that he or she is "spiritual"...isn't. I'm sorry for sounding harsh, but I don't apologize. Here's why: everyone of us is seeking to fill a certain void or emptiness of their soul. Try as we may, NOTHING works or fills it. Nothing. Except a personal relationship with God Himself through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Let me contrast spiritual poverty with spiritual richness: a person living in a thatched hut in South Sudan without running water who gets up each morning, greets the day seeing and experiencing God in all that they see and are understands that as a Christian, they are an heir to God's kingdom - they are an heir to the universe of God's creation. That person not only knows who they are but Whose they are. By contrast, the self-made man or woman who has "made it" to the apex of their profession or talent living in a 4,000 square foot apartment overlooking New York's Central Park, just has their "stuff" surrounding them. Without out God in their life, there is a significant void. New cars, new vacations, new friends, may put a temporary bandage on their loneliness and cultural and relational poverty, but since God is purposefully pushed or kept out of their life, nothing satisfactorily satisfies.
Now what brings about Poverty in its various forms?
Causes or sources of poverty
Generally speaking, their are two causes or sources of poverty (any kind). External and Internal.
The External or outside causes or sources of our poverty are just that: they're almost all of the time, outside of our direct or indirect control. External causes would include but not be limited to war, social upheaval (a symptom of social poverty), terrorist attacks, stock or commodity market crashes, earthquakes, extreme weather phenomena such as hurricanes or cyclones, blizzards, tornadoes, drought, flooding, etc. We have virtually no control over these things. Now, we may be able to prepare for some of these problems (disasters), but not all of them. Regardless of whether we are among the most poor or the most wealthy, if a jet liner collides with your office building one sunny morning and ends up disrupting your local economy, you have no control over the poverty that will ensue.
By the same token, long term drought in central Africa has killed thousands of people and animals due to a lack of water and therefore crops, folliage, etc. Now let's say, that same area suddenly becomes inundated with a month's worth of torrential rain. Rain is good but now there is mass flooding and everything is wiped out. There's no planning for such extremes in such a short period of time. All kinds of poverty ensue with both of these scenarios.
Internal causes are a little bit more insidious, but for the most part, controllable. What are internal causes? Internal causes vary from person to person. Maybe it's poor management of personal finances or not taking good time to spend with your spouse and children (guilty). Perhaps it's a continual desire to keep up with the Joneses and buy that new car that you've been wanting or that bigger home that was "affordable" at the time. That was then, but now your hours have been cut and taxes have gone up. What do you do? But then again, you did have a choice...
Internal causes can also be what we do with our spare time. Are we watching pornographic movies or videos in the wee hours of the night in the family room while our spouse is upstairs sound asleep? How about video gaming every spare moment rather than keeping up with the paperwork. How about sitting down to read another "Harry Potter" book or Tom Clancy novel in a 3 day sitting and being personally entertained rather than picking up your Bible for an hour or so and learning what the God of the universe wants to teach you about your life or more importantly, what He wants you to know about Him?
Sooner or later, we'll pay the consequences. Poverty will creep in. The writer of Proverbs puts it this way:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 24:33-34.
Like or not, every single one of us is prone to both external and internal causes of poverty. Some things we can control; others we can not. But that doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't be vigilant. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't seek help or support.
Concluding thoughts
Poverty, its types as well as causes, is pernicious. And although pernicious, poverty is or can be avoidable. The question I ask myself and you dear reader, is this: what are we willing to do to avoid poverty?
The Beatitudes as Jesus taught them are part of the key to avoiding poverty. We are called to be poor in spirit so that we can inherit (become His heir) God's Kingdom. We are called to mourn for our individual poverty so that in our brokeness, God Spirit can comfort and restore us. We are called to be meek, not in the world's sense which is "feeble" but in God's sense which is firm and humble so as to be a good and faithful steward of the world God has or will give us. As we hunger and thirst for God's righteousness, not ours, He will indeed fill us with that holy righteousness that directs others to the Savior, for that is our true calling. We were and are created to be image bearers of God Almighty and as image bearers, we give glory and honor to Who He is, not who we believe we are (who I believe I am).
As we further respond to the culture around us to this blight of poverty, let us keep those Beatitudes in mind. Jesus Christ came into the world for the sole purpose of redeeming His creation and restoring the relationship that was originally intended. God wants poverty eliminated; like it or not, we (all of us) are part of the cause as well as the solution. May we be used by Him.
Click here to continue this discussion on Poverty.
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Music video: For King and Country, "Middle of Your Heart"
