What is Poverty? - Part 3

What is poverty? Most would say that people affected by poverty lack material possessions, or lack the necessities to care for a family. We think dirt floors and tin roofs. We think rice and beans for every meal. And yes, that is poverty—material poverty. But have you ever thought about different types of poverty? There are different kinds—poverty of knowledge, resources, education, and on and on. So when it comes to approaching missions, I think we need to redefine our thoughts on poverty.

I recently listened to a sermon by Francis Chan, where he talked about preaching in Simi Valley, California. Although this may be one of the richest places in the country, and even the world, he told them he chose that place because of poverty. Obviously, this isn't material poverty; however, because of their wealth, they are some of the people most likely to be spiritually impoverished. In Matthew 19, Jesus is talking to the disciples and says, "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." I don't immediately think about myself or my community affected by poverty, but maybe we actually are. Is spiritual poverty affecting your community?

Some might stop me right there, and tell me to stop looking at poverty as a Biblical issue, rather than a material problem. But doesn't the Bible say that we have fullness in God? We're wealthy in God. Ephesians 3:16-19 says,

" that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Did you catch how we are filled with the fullness of God? We have fullness by having His power within us. We are filled by having Christ in our hearts. We are filled by Him. Sure, material poverty is a problem, but spiritual poverty is a much bigger problem. When you don't have God, you don't have anything. When you do have God, you have everything. He changes the narrative.

When it comes to impoverished countries, they often don't realize they are impoverished. If everyone lives the same way throughout the community, they don't see any difference. The story changes when we start to bring in groups of wealthy people. We tell them they're poor. We tell them they aren't well-off because they don't have carpet on their floors or they don't drink milk with every meal. Some of the ways impoverished people live is unsafe or unhealthy, like not having nutritious diets. However, other things, like whether or not you have carpet, is only a preference. Just because we prefer one thing, doesn't make it better than the way anyone else lives throughout the world.

We can try to alleviate poverty with a constant move of teams in and out through missions organizations all over the world. But that's never going to solve the problem. Quick handouts of free clothing and some food doesn't save lives. Jesus saves lives. Quick handouts help us feel like we have results. We can go home and tell people how much we gave to the impoverished people. But Jesus gave the ultimate gift, and it's our job to share about it. Giving people material possessions seems nice, but introducing people to Jesus shows more compassion. Saving souls is much more important than material things. It's even more important than safety and nutrition. Instead of always sharing our possessions, let's try sharing our Savior.