Poverty

Ecclesiastes 4.1-3

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
       I saw the tears of the oppressed—
       and they have no comforter;
       power was on the side of their oppressors—
       and they have no comforter.

And I declared that the dead,
       who had already died,
       are happier than the living,
       who are still alive.

But better than both
       is he who has not yet been,
       who has not seen the evil
       that is done under the sun.

It’s sad to think that anyone could ever say it would be better to have not been born.  According to Solomon, some marginalized members of society wonder just that. 

I imagine that what is rough about poverty is not the conditions in particular, but that everyone holds you down, and no one cares enough to pick you up.

I’m thrilled that followers of Jesus have taken an upsurge of interest in addressing poverty as of late, but I’m not sure what kind of results we’re getting.  I really haven’t researched current contributions of Christians one way or another, but my gut is that we haven’t made a huge dent.  I am familiar however with how few church planters start churches in impoverished area.  It’s just sad that economic viability of running a church has kept the gospel from some of the people who need it most.

I’ve stumbled on two resources that appear to have some answers to poverty at a glance: Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida, and Bridges Out of Poverty by Ruby K. Payne.  Both seem to lift the value of a person’s contribution to society, regardless of class and standing.  Not sure when I’ll get to read them, but I’d like to dig further on this topic.