PART I – Who Are They?
Most of us are familiar with this verse from John 12. But what does it mean and how does it affect our lives? Is it an excuse to pass them by (like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan) because they will never change and always be with us? Jesus teaches otherwise, and even describes how OUR TREATMENT OF THE POOR HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES FOR EACH OF US.
The poor includes people who have fallen on hard times, some who lost their jobs and are unable to find work, some are unable to work, some are ne’er-do-wells who will not work, some are drug addicts or alcoholics, and some have hearts hungry for love and truth. Our responsibility is to be sowers of God’s truth and love, then let God sort them out; that’s His job, not ours.
Do you know anyone as a friend who is poor, with limited or no financial resources? In recent months, I have come to know three limited resource persons (described as “poor” by our society). It has opened up a new awareness of their life experiences, how they live, what they value, and even their religious beliefs. Realizing that this is from a limited number of people, the following is what I have learned.
Limited Resource Persons (my preferred term to “poor”):
- Have life crises, just like you and me, but with limited or no safety net and support network.
- May be just one crisis away from losing a job and homelessness (severe illness, car breaks down, family crisis requiring them to care for a loved one at home, etc.) People with resources can typically handle crises more easily.
- Make unwise (and often sinful) decisions, just like the rest of us, but the stakes are higher because they don’t have the resources to recover.
- May have serious health issues that are unattended to.
- Experience more crime because they can’t afford to live in nicer, safer areas.
- May have been homeless for a time, but did not stay that way.
- Have a short time horizon, as short as 24 hours. It is hard to plan for the future on an empty stomach.
How Did They Get That Way? Often a mix of:
- a terrible home life that did not prepare them with life skills, attitudes, habits, and relationships necessary to function in the working world,
- unwise (and often sinful) decisions they made, or people around them making unwise decisions that directly affect them,
- having bad breaks – they get cancer, their employer goes bankrupt, etc.
- experiencing physical, mental, or sexual abuse growing up, which traumatized their souls, their lives, and how they relate to other people,
- relying on alcohol and drugs to numb the pain and suffering in their lives. and
- often have several interrelated, intractable problems (called wicked problems) – they can’t keep a job because their vehicle breaks down, but they can’t afford a reliable vehicle because they don’t have the money (because they can’t keep a job) and on and on.
How God Sees Limited Resource Persons
Society says these people are addicted, but our Lord sees them as afflicted. They are sinners, just like you and me, and they need the Lord – the truth and love of Christ. When we focus on their sin and shortcomings, we will not see their pain, loneliness, and suffering. And if we have not walked in their shoes, it is difficult to truly grasp what they are struggling with on a daily basis.
Limited resource persons may be Spirit-led Christians who effectively witness to many people you or I may never encounter. The three limited resource friends I know are the most fervent and effective evangelists that I know. They are materially poor but spiritually rich, and share their spiritual wealth freely with everyone who comes across their path. They are real missionaries, reaching people with the good news of Christ – people we will likely never meet, but all loved by God.
True Riches and True Poverty
This takes us to another level, seeing how Christ looks at poverty – true poverty. In Revelation 3, Christ spoke (through John) to the church of Smyrna, the persecuted church: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)”. He then spoke to the Church of Laodicea (the lukewarm church), saying: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich.”
Jesus describes how we can be materially wealthy but spiritually poor (true poverty) and therefore are on the broad path that takes us to the Lake of Fire. Jesus sent out the disciples 2 by 2, without any money. So they would have been poor in the eyes of the world, but they carried true riches with them – the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven that do not feed the body, but feed the soul unto eternal life. In Acts 3:6, Peter stated to a lame man: “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” The lame man was healed, “and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.” Acts 3:8
Limited resource persons are image bearers of God, and God tells us to care for them as He cares for us. In Matthew 25, Jesus, spoke to His disciples about the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, and those in prison: “‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:31-40
So how we relate to the poor is a serious matter. In Part II we will discuss ways we can respond to them. In the meantime, reach out to them as you can, for time is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
Source of Image: Pixabay
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