A Biblical Approach and Response to Poverty

1 A Biblical Approach and Response to Poverty Adewunmiju, Peter Olutayo (BRS) Introduction Poverty remains a fact of life despite the economic programme by personal and nations. What exist here and there are improvements on economic status. These improvements are not even stable. There have been economic up-turns and downturns. This is what is known from experiences. Jesus says that The poor you will always have with (Matt. 26:11, NIV) is historically and globally relevant. The extent of Poverty in the world is described in these words: Nearly one billion people, almost one out of every four persons on earth live in a state of absolute Poverty . They are trapped in conditions so limited by illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality and low life expectancy as to be denied the very potential with which they are born.

2 Almost 20 million people die each year of starvation or hunger related illnesses. 1 Poverty is life threatening and should not be ignored. According to the World Bank report, Nigeria is one of the poorest nations in the world. Six out every ten Nigerians are jobless. The average income per person for a month is N130. 2 The above, however, is not to say that Poverty is inherent in the nature of man or of the poor. It cannot be blamed on the moral behavior of the poor. It often comes as a result of certain imbalances in social structural processes. Poverty affects human dignity and poses some challenges to our stewardship of nature. These are part of the reasons why Christians should be concerned about Poverty . Man is made in the image of God; but can a poor man reflect the image of God adequately?

3 Poverty inhibits freedom. Freedom is part of the image man shares with God. Poverty therefore affects God s image and plan in man. The earth is the Lord s and everything in (Psalm 24:1, NIV). The earth is the Lord s but he has given the earth to man to manage (Gen. 2:15). Have we managed the natural resources well and are still poor? How should we use the resources? How should it be distributed? Are we to resign to fate as we face and watch others face the issue of Poverty and hunger? These are questions which should prick a Christian s conscience. The basic truth is that Poverty falls within the areas of Christian concerns and as such the Christian church needs a Pentecostal movement Response to Poverty as a basis for Christian action. So it assumed that orthodoxy will lead to orthopraxis.

4 Right belief is a basis for right action. Poverty is not limited to one nation or one continent in that Poverty is a social reality across nations and continents. The different is only a matter of degrees. He assumes that some realities about Poverty at individual levels have some correspondence with realities on large scales among nations. Besides, a Pentecostal Movement Response to Poverty that is biblically based and socially relevant should be helpful to some extent wherever Poverty exists. The writer believes that the every Servants of God can be agents of economic development in any nation or continent. Poverty is difficult to define because of its relative and subjective nature. Nevertheless, Poverty is defined here as the unfulfilment of basics human needs required to adequately sustain life free from disease, misery, hunger, pain, suffering, hopelessness and 3 This definition is chosen because it describes succinctly the situation of the poor.

5 Causes of Poverty It is considered necessary here to briefly itemize the factors that are responsible for human Poverty to serve as a basis for reflection. Solutions are not proffered until problems are known. Population explosion is a major cause of Poverty . The problem is aggravated by the fact that population is more explosive is some of the very areas where people are most poor and the hungry. This problem is further compounded because the world s population was growing approximately 150 percent; the consumption of the world s most basic food was growing 650 percent. 4 Land remains a static means of production while human beings continue to increase. Poor economic management and structural imbalances are related factors in causing Poverty . Misuse of resources, unjust economic order and unfair distribution of resources are manifestations of poor economic management and structural When there is manipulation of prices, of the terms of trade and monetary system, the exploitation of cheap labour, natural resources and the overt and convert transfer of capital from the poor to the rich section etc 7 The free market economic system that is operating in many societies is intended to serve the bourgeois at the detriment of the poor and the peasants who are in the majority of world s population.

6 The desire for gain and meeting human needs are conflicting issues in free market economy. A good economic system should favour the satisfaction of human needs; and not purely on the desire for Low wage is a contribution factor to Poverty . In some countries, salary of civil servants and company employees are so low to the extent that they cannot afford a descent living. This is part of structural problem. Wages should be measured relative to the condition of living existing in an environment. Debt servicing is sometimes with exorbitant interest rates that use up resources that can be used for social services that can improve the lives of people thereby institutionalizing Poverty . The Bishops of England and Wales, in 1996, noted that development has been halted and reversed by the debt service obligations of some of the poorest countries to their foreign Wars have ravaged nations; displaced people and created refuse camps with their attendant problems.

7 For example, civil war, (sic) natural disasters and economic mismanagement have contributed to the general impoverishment of the (African) continent. More people are now below the Poverty line (in African) than was the case thirty years ago. 11 These wars have led to the purchase of ammunitions instead of using the same resources in preventing malnutrition. There are an estimate of six million refuges in Africa as a result of wars and politico-economic Attitude to work is another major factor causing Poverty . To some work is laborious and is a curse: a consequence of the fall. But the truth is that wealth must be created before it can be distributed and utilized. Natural phenomena such as flood, drought and conflagration also cause Poverty . Any of these is very dangerous and has destroyed properties worth of billions of Naira (Nigeria currency).

8 They cause irreparable damages to economic objects. Other causes of Poverty include what Ronald J. Sider describes as sinful personal choices and unbiblical Worldview . Sinful personal choices that result into Poverty include laziness, misuse of drugs, alcohol and sex (Prov. 6:6-11; 14:23; 23:21; 24:30-34). A worldview that legitimizes Poverty or nurtures fatalism among the poor and complacency among the powerful will eventually condone Poverty without taking steps to overcome it. Some who idolize aspect of nature like rivers and tree may not be willing to dam rivers for hydroelectric power or cut trees to manufacture paper of furniture because trees are living What all these factors reveal is that Poverty may and may not be as a result of the Poor s action or inaction; and that efforts must be made to respond approximately and positively to the issue of Poverty .

9 Biblical and Christian Approach Backgrounds for the Study The Bible affirms the reality of the problem of Poverty in the world. Deut. 15:11 (NIV) says, There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. This truth is reechoed, in part, by Jesus in Matthew 26:11, saying, The poor you will always have with (NIV). The Old Testament recognizes property right of an individual ( :15, 17; :19, 21; 27:17; :28). It therefore rejects and prevents usury and other methods of robbery and social 14 The Old Testament views Poverty as an involuntary social evil to be abolished, not tolerated, and represented the poor (who included widows, orphans and aliens) as people to be succoured; not blamed.

10 15 It has specific provision for the poor. The poor are allowed to glean from the field ( :9, 10). They are to harvest crops on the fields in the seventh (sabbatical) year (Exod. 23:11; :2, 10). The Bible teaches that materials Response to the poor and hungry is a test of Christian experience, genuine love and authentic righteousness (Isaiah 58: 10; James 2:15-17; I John 3:17, 18). To know God means doing justice to the poor and needy ( :13-16; Hosea 4:12). God has concern for the poor (Isaiah41:17); and judges the cause of the poor and needy ( :16). Jesus himself said that ..I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). This implied that the salvation Jesus wrought is comprehensive and therefore has deliverance from Poverty in view, Paul conceived salvation as holistic and saw God being concerned with material needs of person ( :25,26; 11 Cor.)