Poverty

Poverty.... what happens to others.

Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett point out, in When Helping Hurts, that we are all impoverished. What is the fundamental nature of reality? Relationships. That is what we were created for by a Triune, communal God (1 Cor. 1:8-9; Gen. 1:27). Poverty is defined by the fundamental nature of reality—in other words, poverty is broken relationships with God, others, creation, and self. 

“Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings” (p. 62). 

Poverty of spiritual existence when one doesn’t know God; poverty of stewardship when one is broken with creation; poverty of community when we are in broken relationships with others; and poverty of being in broken relationship with self. This assumes the physical and material poverty we all see. Jesus came to restore shalom, cosmically. 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For IN HIM ALL THINGS were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; ALL THINGS have been created through him and FOR him. He is before all things, and IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that IN EVERYTHING HE MIGHT HAVE THE SUPREMACY. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and THROUGH HIM TO RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS , whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col. 1:15-20). 

When we share the gospel, we give “a vision of the goal of human history….a vision which makes it possible to act hopefully when there is no earthly hope, to find the way when everything is dark and there are no earthly landmarks” (Lesslie Newbigin).

But this is not only cosmic, it is also intimate. I am the poor one. I am poor in community, in broken relationships, broken relationship with my self. I am justified with God, right before Him—but He is actively sanctifying me, drawing me closer to Him. I am still poor spiritually until Christ gives me all of His riches finally in heaven—consummation. He is restoring relationships with creation, self, others in me, day after day. But the gospel is still for me. I am the poor that Jesus came to deliver, to free, to liberate.

I confess before God that sometimes I get full of myself, don’t see myself as poor…. I want to give. Or I diminish my own need in light of the incredible material poverty of others. Again, I see what I can give.

This is not the way of my Savior. Who had all power, all things. Who could have given and given and given of things. But He gave of Himself, entering our place. Christ became poor so that I might be rich in Him. He has suffered all things so that I might be with Him. So let the rich say they are poor, and let the poor say they are rich IN HIM (James 2).

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)

When I recognize I am poor, I turn to Him. In light of His riches, His grace, His perfect relationship with His Father that He calls me to (Jn. 17), I see my poverty more and more each day. When I am full of Him, I can point others to Him as well. I can enter their suffering, share their burdens to point to the Redeemer (Gal. 6). I am poor but forever-and-always rich with Christ’s riches, to enjoy Christ and enjoy God, to pour out to others to give the hope of shalom in Christ. 

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
   and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
   to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Lk. 4:18-19).