The issues with poverty are so layered and complex we shouldn't kid ourselves in thinking any one or even multiple programs could pull folks finding themselves in poverty, out.
I believe there are five key elements that need addressed: addictive abuses (drugs, alcohol), financial management, nutrition, relationships and education. See how complex this becomes? But here is an idea not so complex:
Feed the hungry, cloth the poor, give shelter to the homeless........all found written in our guidebook for life, God's Word. Words spoken and lived out by Christ, our model. Unfortunately Christians abdicated their role to do this many years ago, and now a tyrannical attitude exists with some political activists that says the government (having taken over the responsibility from the churches) should drop it too. I doubt they, themselves, would follow Christ's model if government programs did cease.
In a local election, one candidate has on his web site "there are no free lunches"....I doubt he's really thought much about what this means. Sounds like he is repeating the party chairman's words I've heard spoken often. No free lunches......health care for those who can't afford it, housing assistance, WIC, kick those old folks out of the government subsidized apartments around town (that the chairman benefited from), because there are no free lunches.
Well, as much as it pangs me to say this.....there may be some validity in this from the government's point of view.....I guess it isn't the government (city or national) that should emulate the model of Christ. Christ didn't call governments to follow Him-He called us to do this. So it goes back to us.......feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, etc. But as Christians we have failed in this and have shown those in poverty.......we preach a good message (maybe) but we don't truly believe it.
I don't doubt for a second that some of the causes of poverty have to be dealt with by prayer-but unlike aforementioned politics and pride, Christians have to engage themselves to become the solution. Christians have to follow the words and model of Christ......right here, in this community. Which may go back to that issue of pride.
God forgive me for not helping when it was within my ability to help and give me your eyes to see people the way you do. Talk about a novel way to deal with poverty!
It's time to pray for transformation.
It's time for us, ourselves, to be transformed.
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These things are so removed from the"white" culture as a whole -- only in recent years have we begun to see and maybe admit the damaging results of the "addictions". Mayb eit is b/c the generations of the 80's and 90's were modeled that this is wrong or more so -- those people were wrong that we have distanced oursleves from these very real and very obvious people.
We are all broken -- none of us can stand on our own. We need each other to put back the pieces of our broken lives -- how do we change years of culture? I guess it begins with me - you -- our kids. ONE LIFE at a time.
Heard it said that to share the burden of another is to actually get donw in the mud with them where they are at....confess to one another your sins and short comigns that you may receive healing....
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