What Defines Poverty
Ash said something in her blog today about Mother Teresa that really got me thinking. At the end, she said
In America the poor may have more resources than those in India or Africa but their fears and their hopelessness is no different at all. (somewhat paraphrased)
This leads me to consider the questions of what defines poverty. Of course the definitions aren’t mutually exclusive but perhaps we should reflect on poverty more in terms of mental and spiritual condition as opposed to material. Think about the hearts of people instead of the outward appearance.
I wonder how Christ would have defined poverty if he were to use more specific terms. I have a notion it would have more to do with a human spirit than a human’s income.
Isn’t it just like us Americans to think of everything in terms of what we materially do and do not have? Perhaps this is one of those ideas we know to be true somewhere within us, but isn’t as easily put into words, let alone action or our conscious thoughts on poverty.
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Great post, and a lively debate that is going on right now in the presidential race. They are trying to do just that, define what is rich and not. We recently did a series on money at our church and anyone living in the U.S. by worldwide standards, no matter what the material possessions (or lack there of), is rich.
If you are talking about actual assets, it is a moving target that can never be reached. Thank goodness Jesus defined rich in a different way.
good post hmm…very true. totally got me thinking and reevaluating my thoughts on the subject.
I love the things you said in this. I’ve been talking with people, reading books, and searching the scriptures for the definition of poverty and “the least of these,” and you definitely hit it on the head. It is the hurting, the broken, the desperate, the poor in spirit, the dying, the elderly, the orphans, the widows, and all of those who have had something happen in their past that made them fall into depression or spiritual deprivation, or those who were born into stressful households or no household at all.
By the way, I’m Stephen Stonestreet. Ha. I saw your myspace page on Call Me Clementine, and my sisters photography page, Elle Effect… Thought I might check out your blog… So here I am.
I’m thinking you are probably on to something here.
This was something I was talking to a friend about the other day.
I have an issue with “poor” people in the UK, because there is enough support for them. There is no need to be “poor”, as there is more than enough hand outs from the government to be able to get them into work, find them a house, clean themselves up, etc. Outside the western world, they don’t have those facilities. Corrupt governments steal aid money, gangs, inflated prices, the list goes on, are all reasons why money isn’t getting to the ground level.
I’ve never been to Africa for example, but from films that I’ve seen, stories that I’ve heard, books that I’ve read, they seem to be living, for the most part, happy. Sure they don’t have a lot of monetary possessions, but they are content with what they have, which becomes apparent by the fact that they are sharing their possessions with people who have less than them! The western world could take a lesson from them.
So..
Maybe poor = not knowing Jesus?
Maybe poor = not being content with what you have?
obviously, amos, i agree.
i frequently run into poor people, homeless people, etc…and when i listen to their stories, i am often dumbfounded at the state of mind and heart they are in. i cannot help but feel a deep sense of compassion for them and am often trying to figure out what i can do to “fix” it. their stories are sad and they are often so lost.
mother teresa also talked about the fact that she felt that “rich” people were the poorest of all. but b/c of evil in the world, she knew her calling was give the ones w/o a leg to stand on a helping hand.
on of my favorite stories in the bible is a parable that jesus told. he talked about a king (luke 14, i think) who had a feast and invited many to come. but when the servants went to get those people, they all came back w/ excuses of why the guests had refused. so the king told his servants to go and get the “poor, the crippled the blind and the lame.”
- i think we ought to do the same….and we should start at home….
sorry, little long on that one- great post, friend!
Interesting point of view. I’ll consider changing my mind about this but for now I still don’t see things the same way you do.
You got my gears turning, bro. Just last night, I was having another one of those cynical conversations about how poor Americans have no idea what poor really is…I think I dig your perspective on this, though.
brian, i ‘m seriously, very curious why you disagree w/ this point of view. what is your point of view? and how do you support it?
eric- it is true that we have the richest poor in the world, but they are still poor, esp compared to u.s. standards. should we not help them anyway? i’m glad that the post got you thinking. i’m usually compelled when i hear a point of view that seems to contrast the norm.
very good point…everything is relative. there are always people who will be worse off than someone else but that fact does not minimize anyone’s pain or their need for help. povery can be looked at as a deprivation of spirit as well as being below a certain stated income level.
Thanks everyone for responding.
I think if this idea makes sense to us, it should obviously find its way into our actions. I would suggest we think about it not at all in terms of money being earned. I have long considered the standard Christian practice of donating money to charities to be “not real charity”, because its the quick and easy way out of investing yourself. Its so easy to write a check and call it Love when what is really needed is relationships. The idea this post attempts to further illustrate does nothing but support that notion. If rescuing people from poverty were to prove itself to be something money couldn’t buy, I think we’d find ourselves to be quite uncharitable. Me included.
I remember a conversation with an American living in what the U.S. considers a “poor country”. He said that there are so many times when he’s surrounded by people there who are extremely intelligent. Those that speak more than one language although they’re never allowed outside their country to learn them, artists, politicians, doctors who are taxi drivers, etc. What stood out to me was that he said he has never felt more imporverished when he realized how little he has compared to these.