We live is a world of extremes. In terms of finances, eight men own as much wealth as the 3.6 billion who make up the poorest half of humanity. Additionally, 1 in 10 persons survive on less than $2 a day. These numbers do not say much about the working poor who live from hand to mouth, and who can barely make ends meet. This article focuses on poverty and the poor in society.
It is generally acknowledged that there is no single agreed definition of poverty. Although it signifies a lack of resources to meet the basic needs of an individual. However, poverty is now viewed and measured as not only lack of money, but also includes chronic inadequacy of resources of all types to satisfy such basic human needs as nutrition, rest, warmth and bodily care. Poverty is not only material deprivation but also powerlessness i.e. lack of opportunities and choices open to the poor. Thus, poverty is considered a major hindrance to any form of development of human beings. One author argues that the real definition of poverty is “the deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life, including food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, and may also include the deprivation of opportunities to learn, to obtain better employment to escape poverty, and/or to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens.” In other words, one cannot consider only the economic part of poverty. Poverty is also a social, political and cultural issue.
Throughout the scriptures, we see that God has a special place in his heart for the poor or the least in society. In fact, it is the people that He shows the most compassion for. History said that the Jews were referred to as the chosen people by God because they were the least in society. When He delivered them from bondage in Egypt, He instructed those who had more to share with the poor and not to oppress them. God also made special provision for the needy through the introduction of laws. That is why the Bible says that whoever mocks the poor insults the Creator. The life of Christ was one of poverty. Scripture says that He became poor so that through his poverty we might become rich. Jesus lived as a poor man who spent his ministry helping the poor. Jesus also welcomed very wealthy people. The Old Testament records very wealthy but godly people. Not money and wealth, but the love of money was what Jesus condemned. His concern was that people will make money own them. When that happens, we have seen the consequences where the wealthy not only reject God, but also “money is a power that work behind world economics to enslave people to possessions.”
The causes of poverty are complex. These causes are not single independent acts but a set of interrelated processes and systems that interlock and trap the poor in poverty. What’s becoming clear is that in today’s global financial system the rules are rigged in favor of the rich, and hard-working poor families around the globe are finding it impossible to make ends meet. Nelson Mandela observed that, “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” Another author further elaborated this point with the view that “selfish human beings have disguised their greed” and usually pause as the “good Samaritans” but indeed are the “robbers” who “injured” the poor. It is greed in man that has created economic systems, policies and programs that have brought misery and suffering in the world today. A system cannot be deemed efficient if it merely improves the lot of a particular section of society. “These systems are typically influenced, driven, or formulated by the rich and powerful.” Do not be fooled as some leaders in the developing world who cooperate with the rich and other global actors, such as multinational corporations, institutions, and influential people, to maintain the status quo. The poorest are typically marginalized from society and have little representation or voice in public and political debates – making it even harder to escape poverty. By contrast, the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to benefit from economic or political policies.
Having compassion for the poor, or the least in society, starts in the heart. The first level of helping the poor is usually by giving, be it money or any other items. However, this option does very little to change their lives. Unemployment and underemployment lie at the core of poverty. For the poor, labour is often the only asset they can use to improve their well-being. Although I promote the idea of deployment, I know that not everyone can be employers in the scheme of things. However, the creation of productive employment opportunities is essential for achieving poverty reduction and sustainable economic and social development. It is crucial to provide decent jobs that both secure income and empowerment for the poor. Governments which the people have elected to be their voice must be resolute and uncompromising in defending the rights of these people. It is not enough to blame poor people for their own predicament. Many hardworking people are living from hand to mouth earning just enough to keep them from going under. Governments must have and exercise their will power to enact laws and policies that benefit not only the rich, but also the least in society.
Poverty is a very important and challenging problem in the development of human society. Though poverty has been measured in narrow concepts like low income and consumption levels, recent approaches are more inclusive. Poverty is a multidimensional problem that includes the physical, social, mental and psychological dimensions of human beings. The causes of poverty are also multifaceted. Though these causes can be divided and classified according to their extent and scope, the real causes of poverty are deliberate acts and choices of human beings who are motivated by greed. The world has enough for everyone to have a comfortable life. But man, in his greed, has denied fellow human beings even the basic necessities of life like food, clothing and shelter.
