There is the idea that circulates amongst some with the vision of ‘ending poverty.’ It’s noble vision. It’s an idealistic vision. Therein is the problem: it’s an idealistic vision. Idealism does not lead to good results in a real world. It’s the idealistic ideas of Marxism that led to the horrors of the gulags, Cambodia’s killing fields, Mao’s China, etc, etc, etc. Time and again, the proponents of idealistic visions will raise their voice to say, ‘But here it was not implemented correctly.’ In a stubborn obsession of pursuing the ideal, they ignore the reality of the world.
The blind adherence to idealism is a dangerous trap that could and can be avoided if we take heed to the Word of God. Let’s take the idea of eliminating poverty. What does God’s Word have to say about ending poverty?
Deuteronomy 15:11a For the poor shall never cease out of the land:
Indeed, Jesus states himself in Matthew 26:11, ‘You have the poor always with you, but me you have not always.’
If a Christian truly believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then it’s statement on poverty should settle once and for all the ludicrousness of making a goal that is impossible to reach in this world.
It’s not to say that we shouldn’t help the poor, in fact, the rest of Deuteronomy 15:11 makes that exact statement: ‘therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.‘
In other words, ‘Because there will always be poor people in the land, there is a responsibility on the citizen to help.’
This does NOT mean the government should make you help. It does NOT mean try and come up with a system that eliminates poverty (because such a system will fail, as history has shown time and again) It means for YOU (the individual) in order to abide by the Law of Almighty God, should offer the help that you can of your own accord to those who are poor and need, IN YOUR LAND.
Consider this:
- God leaves it to you to determine how much to help with, but He commands you to help
- God understood that as humans, we will make mistakes and we live in a fallen world, so that poverty itself is not a sign of society’s failure but rather a symptom of a fallen world and individual’s freedom of choice and the accompanying consequences
- In the issuing of a PERFECT Law, God didn’t attempt to ‘legislate poverty out of existence’. Instead He shifts the focus to the individual (with no distinction made as to how well-off they are) to assist with those who are not as well-off as they are
The Word of God should be the lens through which the Christian views the world. In light of the Law and the words of Jesus, the idea of ‘eliminating poverty’ is an idealistic notion that any true Christian should leave by the wayside. There is a coming day that will see poverty eliminated, but it won’t be by man’s means. Any attempt by man to do so will not lead to utopia but hell.
Instead of pursuing vain ends, our focus should be towards the two areas that were highlighted in the Law and by Christ:
- Help out those who are not as well-off as us in our land (local area) to the best of our ability (God loves a cheerful giver)
- The first and foremost priority is service to Jesus Christ.
Don’t take for granted the presence of God in your life. When He is there, make the most of it – give the best that you have.
Matthew 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Talking Bible 
Leave a comment