Written by: Web Team
Have you been following the discussion on this post - Why We Can’t End Poverty?
It’s been lively, deep, heated, tense, stimulating, frustrating and just simply down home good. We like honesty.
The comment thread birthed a related, but new subject. We’d like to give our new baby its own home.
Welcome!
Let us know what you think. Why does poverty exist?
Popularity: 45% [?]
July 16th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Yes, the dialogue has been great over on the other post…and this is a question that won’t be easy to answer. Maybe as many answers as there are commentors.
I’ll throw my .02 in:
I believe poverty exists for a variety of reasons:
-sin. (Yes, I think sin plays a role. Not necesarily in the lives of the poor, but the greed and corruption withing governments that are supposed to be taking care of their people…and greed of those who “have” and do not share.)
-lack of education
-lack of resources
-environmental factors (disasters, etc.)
-men not providing for their families
-Disease creates poverty (i.e. taking income providers away from families)
In short, poverty exists because this is a broken and fallen world. But I believe it is an opportunity for God’s people to BE THE CHURCH He talked about in His Word…and care for them.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Sin.
We can go back to the Garden to find its roots, but today’s poverty exists because of today’s sin; and in a word, that sin is selfishness and greed (I know, that’s two words).
The person in the other forum was half correct when he suggested it is our past sin (again, going back to Adam) that has caused this horrid condition, but make no mistake about it; it is the ever-present sin of self that perpetuates the condition. Oppression is nothing more than a manifestation of greed.
And to make matters worse, present-day poverty is the church’s fault—just do the math. There are two-billion people in the world who call themselves Christian. If these same Christians were truly born again, that is to say that their ‘old man’ was dead and they were reasonably repented, selfishness would be dead as well, and in this state it would be no-big-thing to help three other, less fortunate folks.
As a result, by day’s end, seven billion people are living adequate lives.
That isn’t happening because the majority of ‘Blessed Christians’ have not turned away from the sin that sustains poverty: selfishness–myself included.
Lord help us all.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
sin
July 16th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
The church’s sloth (which I whole-heartedly include myself in). It’s not the only reason but imagine if it *weren’t* a reason. Oh my, how the world would be different.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
“Present day poverty is the church’s fault?” Only partially. It is the fault of everyone who sins. That’s all of us, churched and unchurched alike.
Some people will choose poverty despite our best efforts to help them out of it, just as in C.S. Lewis’ “Great Divorce” the majority of a bus full of tourists chose hell over heaven.
If the Church mobilized all its resources to end poverty, could it? Not completely. But it sure could make a big dent in it.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
This isn’t an answer to the question, but it’s related. One of the interesting parts of my job is I get to receive interviews with children about what 3 questions they would like to ask God (which are used on Wess Stafford’s radio program, “Speak Up With Compassion.”) These questions very often make me laugh out loud (questions like, “Do you like burritos, God?”)
But often the questions make me want to cry. One of the questions children ask over and over and over in their prayers to God is “why am I poor?” “Why does my neighbor have more than me?” “Why don’t we have more to eat?”
It’s humbling to hear these children’s earnest plea to God, asking these same questions.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:37 am
When I really think about it, I have to say it’s greed. I think about those in poverty, those who are paid unfairly; it’s because of greed. The reason the wealth is not distributed evenly in the world is that those who have more than enough do not let their ears hear the cry of the poor, because they are more fascinated with getting something pretty and shiny that catches their attention. And, of course, greed is a sin… so… I guess it’s kinda sin-related too.
July 17th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I say it is the church’s fault because we know better. Much of the unchurched world falsely believes that a) the poor are not their responsibility and, b) they (the unchurched) are entitled to grab as much ‘gusto’ as they can get.
Look around America (for instance)…What is the message? “You’re number one!” Or, “You deserve a break today!” Or, “Have it YOUR way!”
The unchurched are being lied to, but Christians who have bought into this nonsense have no excuse.
In that light, the church (who is quite capable of eradicating the poverty problem) is asleep at the wheel. When God said the poor would always be with us, it is because He knows Christians tend to fall asleep very easily.
It IS the church’s fault and it IS my fault as well.
How can we expect the unsaved world to pull their weight, when we aren’t pulling our own–together, we ‘are the world’, but Christians are the messengers and our messages are ‘mixed’ at best.
What should the church’s response be?
Well we all know the answer to that, but in reality the question MUST be, “As a member of the Body of Christ, what should MY response be?”
As much as I am a messenger to the unsaved, I am also a witness to my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Cd
July 17th, 2008 at 10:35 am
It’s really tough to try to come up with something new, in answer to this question. I can’t do it. I will say simply that, yes, I believe poverty results from the kinds of situations Tim mentioned. However, I think that, were it not for the sin of greed–the lust for money, for things money can buy, for more of whatever we want, and the lust for power–that many of the problems in Tim’s list could be resolved. Developing nations could do a better job at educating their people, if they weren’t corrupt. The world jumps in to help, following major disasters. The long-term illness or death of a provider could be compensated for by neighbors (including the churches in the area, or the church at large). Resources are abundant, in this world, and could be available to those in poverty, with some ingenuity and the willingness to get in and get it done.
But, as Tim said, this is a broken and fallen world. It is the job of God’s people to bring redemption through Jesus Christ in ways both practical and spiritual. Isn’t that what Compassion is about? And if we need to free up more of God’s wealth from those who have it, believers or not, then that’s what we need to do…somehow.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:01 am
Poverty mainly existes because of sin and I believe God isn’t ready for us to end poverty because he feels it’s the perfict time too. Thats why for right now i am just sharring the good news with everyone.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this discussion!
I SO agree with the sentiments expressed in “Why We Can’t End Poverty.” The Bible never tells us to END poverty… because He knew our condition. Poverty, greed, lust, famine, etc… they are all part of this fallen world. We are - however - supposed to care for the poor. We are supposed to love them in Jesus’ name.
We can’t end poverty, like we can’t end widows or prisoners. So it’s good that we’re not called to.
God can be glorified in the poverty when we step up and satisfy someone’s need “in Jesus’ name”… then Christ is actually lifted up! SO ending poverty would actually - sorta - be BAD!
I am bewildered by so-called Christians who push for secular, humanist means of fighting poverty through governmental wealth redistribution. While some additional poor will have their needs met, it’s not being done in Jesus’ name and therefore God does not get the glory. Less people are in need. The love of Christ wasn’t shared. Satan wins.
God did not call us to lobby the government to feed the poor. He told US to do it ourselves. Poverty exists so God can be glorified through our compassion and obedience to His commands.