When it comes to poverty: think small

Today is Blog Action Day. For more details, visit the Blog Action Day site.

For years I struggled with the idea of poverty. Why do we have poor people? Is there some way we can wipe out poverty? Why was I fortunate enough to be born into a comfortable, middle-class world? I felt guilty at times. I felt angry at times. And sometimes I just wanted to live my life and not think about poor people.

That kind of thinking gets you nowhere. The most freeing thing Jesus said about poverty was when he said, "The poor will always be with you." In saying that, he gave the disciples permission to celebrate with him and enjoy life. But he never backed away from his strong command that EVERY DISCIPLE OF CHRIST MUST be about helping the poor.

As I got older I realized that the best way to understand Jesus was to think small. So I don't spend much of my energy wondering which political party gives us the best chance to "address the issue of poverty." I don't spend any of my emotional energy worrying about why people are poor. Instead, my church friends and I spend a certain amount of our time intervening into specific situations of poverty. We have selected a few causes and we support them with great joy. How do we select them? Whenever someone in our community gets passionate about some act of social and/or economic mercy, we bless their desire and support it.

Currently we send money to India to support the indigenous Christian movement among the Banjara Gypsies. This money supports Banjara who are working to help other Banjara. We do this in part because one girl named Chloe got passionate and wanted to pray for the gypsies every Sunday. We go to Moldova every other year and work in an orphanage there. Some of our members now support Moldovan children by collecting money to provide an education for them when they leave the orphanage. Otherwise they would be pulled into prostitution and organized crime. We do this because one father and daughter had their hearts broken by the situation in Moldova and wanted to make a difference. One of our members is fairly passionate about water issues and has been to South America to help install water purifiers. We sent him off with prayers. He'll probably go back soon. Two men in our church organize a Habitat for Humanity build every other year. We are currently in the middle of that. A couple of weeks ago I spent 8 hours with my oldest daughter, hammering away on a home.

We are a congregation of less than 100 members. But we feel empowered and powerful in the larger work of Christ against poverty. Not because we have the answers to the big questions. But because we have been set free to embrace our small role and know that if everyone did the same, it would be enough.

Gordon Atkinson - Real Live Preacher

• Tags:  
• blog action day
• poverty

Other Family Articles

When It's Well With Your Soul
by Jennifer Dukes Lee

93

Love Upside Down
by Billy Coffey

20

Most Popular Posts

Start-Up Lessons: Raising the Bar
by Claire Burge

42

What to Expect When You're...
by Jennifer Dukes Lee

80

We recommend logging in before posting comments

Reader Comments