In the Bible, we find that people were poor for a variety of reasons. The same holds true for us today. In my last blog I noted that sin can cause poverty. Today we are going to look at a couple of additional causes of poverty.
Situational poverty. A million things can fall under this heading: a drunken father or mother, health issues, losing one’s job, a deep recession or economic depression. When I speak of situational poverty, I speak of situations where people are poor for reasons which are beyond their control.
Proverbs 23:21 says “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty….”
This takes us to the third reason for poverty -- Injustice
The Bible condemns wicked rulers and businessmen who crush the poor and seize what little they have.
Listen to these verses:
Why is God so concerned about this issue? Proverbs 14:31 (New Living Translation) gives us the answer, “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor him.” When we deny justice to the poor, when we trample on their rights, when we take advantage of them in the courts, then we are actually insulting the very God who made them.
In Matthew 25 Jesus notes, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” Jesus is telling us that when we minister to those in need: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, the one in prison, we are really ministering to Him. Notice Jesus doesn't say, "as if you were doing it to me," which would imply a metaphor. No, He says, “You did it for me.”
Someone put it this way, the way that we treat the poor is the way we treat God.
The Redeemed Team
Situational poverty. A million things can fall under this heading: a drunken father or mother, health issues, losing one’s job, a deep recession or economic depression. When I speak of situational poverty, I speak of situations where people are poor for reasons which are beyond their control.
Proverbs 23:21 says “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty….”
This takes us to the third reason for poverty -- Injustice
The Bible condemns wicked rulers and businessmen who crush the poor and seize what little they have.
Listen to these verses:
- Exodus 23:6, “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.”
- Proverbs 31:9, “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
- Isaiah 3:13-15, “The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: ‘It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?’”
- Amos 2:6-7, “This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.”
Why is God so concerned about this issue? Proverbs 14:31 (New Living Translation) gives us the answer, “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor him.” When we deny justice to the poor, when we trample on their rights, when we take advantage of them in the courts, then we are actually insulting the very God who made them.
In Matthew 25 Jesus notes, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” Jesus is telling us that when we minister to those in need: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, the one in prison, we are really ministering to Him. Notice Jesus doesn't say, "as if you were doing it to me," which would imply a metaphor. No, He says, “You did it for me.”
Someone put it this way, the way that we treat the poor is the way we treat God.
The Redeemed Team
