Faithful on Fridays Blog

Part One

Threaded throughout Jesus’ ministry are examples of His attitude toward the poor. How do you define the poor today? Is it based on income? Is the definition the same in every nation? And finally, what should our attitude be about them, those people, if we’re Christ followers?

Dictionaries define poverty or the poor as a condition when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs. Those needs certainly differ from culture to culture, nation to nation, but what’s necessary for survival remains the same: food/water, clothing, and housing. 

From 1960, when the poverty rate was 22% in America, that number has decreased to 10-15%, however, 35% of that number are kids and 13% are seniors living at the poverty level. The US government defines a family of 4, whose income is $26,500, living in poverty. It’s no wonder when a population of a nation has that volume of poor God will raise up someone to address the issues. In the American 60’s Martin Luther King began, but never personally completed, the Poor People’s Campaign due to his assassination. However, the Civil Rights Movement, along with Congress, declared a ‘war on poverty’ quoting King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others’?” That question reflected Jesus’ attitude, New Testament writers, and continues to ring true today. 

God’s chosen people were to be on the lookout for this Messiah who was coming with a specific purpose:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1 

It wasn’t coincidental that Jesus read aloud that passage declaring Himself the fulfillment of that prophecy (Luke 4:21), and since the Jewish people were looking for someone who cared about the ‘down-and-outers’ He fit the bill. Jesus was focused on the needs of the people because His desire was to right the wrongs done to them; we call that justice, not just the legal kind, but the compassion kind: righting wrongs.

According to pastor Tim Keller poverty is caused by several factors: 

• Oppression– corrupt governments who tolerate crime, poor education, and favor the rich.
• Individualism– no concern for others, only yourself and your needs.
• Personal moral failures– no self-discipline or responsibility and lack of healthy family structures.

Jesus had good news for the poor; He came to heal their broken and crushed hearts, proclaim liberty or the forgiveness of their sins, and set them free to live the higher life even when those causes of poverty affect them. Those were words of grace from His mouth giving hope to the hopeless.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:8-9