Poverty

Poor, as defined in the New American Bible’s dictionary, is the word which had merely an economic and social meaning of humble, modest, small, the little people often oppressed by the rich and powerful but who remained faithful to God. This means that people who live in poverty are those denied basic necessities in life. They’re poor in material possessions but not in the spirit of God. “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice.” This describes how serving the poor is not an act of selfness but it’s your job as a citizen to tend to those who have less than yourself. This points out to how neighbors must help neighbors. Poverty is not a transgression but an opportunity to see things in a better light.
The main causes of poverty are oppression, misfortune, gluttony, and the very culture of poverty itself. All of these venues are all properly supported by the Bible. “Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.” This relates to oppression in that the gentry or upper class tend to dominate over the meek which adds to poverty. “For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.” This correlates with misfortune in reference to the poor and how they can not help themselves; people could be a nuisance to them, and they can’t do anything about it but be oblivious to it. God explains that, “laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.” This verse shows how if a man is lackadaisical, he won’t get anywhere in life and he will make his family suffer only adding to the statistics of the homeless. The Bible illustrates that, “the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desire of the diligent are fully satisfied.” This quote from the Bible illustrates that if the poor won’t do anything about their misfortune then nothing will become of it.
God expects all humans to treat the poor as their equal. The poor are people who are sick or needy they are not extraterrestrial, therefore, should not be treated as such. “Keep on loving each other as brother. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Works of mercy include helping the needy by being at their clemency, so we should treat them as we would God. God instructs us by saying “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” God advises us and reiterates the importance of doing all these things because through these deeds we are serving the children of God and in doing so we are serving Him. God’s basic principle is, “when we serve the poor and the sick, we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors because in them we serve Jesus.”
People who are classified as poor in the Old Testament include those who have leprosy, widows, children, those of whom do not work, and those diagnosed with other various forms of diseases. God explains what’ll become of the rich by saying, “now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver have corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” Riches and wealth on earth are nothing but mere material possessions which will not help you on judgment day. God doesn’t judge upon how many houses you could afford in your lifetime, but He judges on how kind you were to your workers and whether or not you were a fair person. To be righteous is to help others and not only oneself. Therefore, wealth is a blessing bestowed upon you by God to help his people. God clearly illustrates that he will punish those who oppose his word on judgment day.
When God created man, he created us in his perfect image, therefore he thought of us as worthy. He gave us power over the entire world he created including the animals that roam and the plants that thrive. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them. ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds in the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give green plant for food.’ And so it was.” Not only did God prove his love by creating man in His image, but He proves his love further by loving us unconditionally. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.” This example of Gods love is so powerful that he accepted Israel although they didn’t respond to his call and that they ignored his teachings and healings. God will always love us even if we stray away from Him.
God loves us no matter if our relationship with him falters; God will love us unconditionally as long as we return to our Father. A passage exerted from the bible states, “so he got up and went to his father. But while he was still along way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” This passage shows how the son left his father in hopes of something better, but returned when he was in deep turmoil. The father welcomed him back home with opens arms, just as God does when we come running back to him.
God calls us to care and nurture the poor. In my society there are various ways in which I can practice God’s calling for the poor. For example, my church, Riverside Baptist Church, has a food pantry in which anyone can donate food, and that food is then distributed to those who seek it. My church also goes on mission trips which serve the poor; in Passport Mission Camp in Daytona, Florida, we visited a retirement home and cared for the elderly. Another example of helping those in poverty is not criticizing a homeless person on the street but to simply say “Good afternoon, god bless” and hand them some money. Sometimes it’s the little things that can light up someone’s day. A homeless person is usually either tormented or ignored throughout the day so just plainly having a conversation with them is a service to the Lord.
Poverty is not a transgression but an opportunity to see things in a better light. God said, “then celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast-you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless, and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the Feast to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.” This shows that everyone must celebrate and be thankful for anyone to be in harmony. Poverty can be looked upon as a way of life or a way to show gratitude and help others. Poverty and wealth are only material things both of which God is oblivious to on judgment day, therefore think clearly on what you should do when you see poverty in your midst.

Bibliography
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Catechism. Article 7. #2449, #2446
Holy Bible. New International Version.
Holy Bible. New American Version.

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