When you think of the poor what are your first thoughts?
Do you pity them? Do you feel superior over them? Do you feel as if you have helped them enough
after donating a meal at school, or a shoebox at Christmas time?
Yesterday we visited a bunch of families that live at the local dump. We brought them bags of food, spent a few short minutes with them, gave them all the smiles and hugs that we could in the time we had and then left.
Visiting these homes with such a large group of people all equipped with cameras embarrassed me. It embarrassed me for these men, women, and children who call this place home.
As we were led from home to home it often felt like a show. “Here are the people that live at the dump. Give them some food, take pictures of them, then we’ll leave.” Now don’t get me wrong. It is necessary to take food to those who don’t have any (Matthew 22:36-39)…but if it ends there, we are severely misunderstanding the commandments of Jesus. Jesus didn’t have pity on people, He had compassion on them. In other words, He looked upon them, was overwhelmed with love, and acted upon it.
Yesterday, my eyes met many faces. And I couldn’t help but love them.
I saw strong men that work in hard, freezing cold conditions to provide for their family.
I admire them.
I saw beautiful women who selflessly work to care for and make a home for the ones they love.
I want to be like that.
I saw little girls with some of the sweetest most genuine spirits that I have ever seen.
This is precious in the sight of the Lord, and something that we could all learn from.
I began to have hopes and dreams for their future. For what great things the Lord could do through them in that little place.
I have learned that it is unreasonable to evaluate their ‘lack’ based on our distorted and exaggerated perception of need. Poverty in some countries is $1/day income. And in America?…..the ‘poverty level’ is $22,350 for a family of four. When we cast poverty on people where it doesn’t exist, we also overlook the actual poverty with which they struggle. Now did I see their actual physical needs? YES. But why do we often neglect the deepest hunger pains these people are experiencing?
There is REAL poverty in this world. And yesterday my team and I experienced it.
But have you ever stopped to consider why Jesus called the poor blessed? I’d like to suggest that one is that poverty is under-appreciated.
We typically only see the downside of poverty, but it has a big upside too.
–When you’re poor, you know the value of things.
–When you’re poor, you are forced to depend on God for what you lack.
–When you’re poor, you can more easily become unified as the body of Christ.
–When you’re poor, you don’t have to battle materialism as much.
–When you’re poor, Jesus has compassion on you and comes to your aid.
So I challenge your view of those that have less then you…and I challenge your involvement with them. Does your life exemplify what Paul says in Philippians 4:12?
“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
