Proclaiming Salvation for the Poor
It Isn’t Just about Salvation for the Poor
Have you ever noticed that Jesus talks an awful lot about money in the Gospels?
Have you noticed alongside this that Jesus talks an awful lot about the poor?
These topics are extremely important to him.
“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matt 19.24, NRESVUE)
Then [Jesus] looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” (Luke 6.20–21, NRSVUE)
Those quotes are not outliers. Those themes dominate so much of what he says day in and day out.
But, when he's talking about “money” and “the poor”, is he really talking about money and the poor?
The only reason money has any value whatsoever is because it is a limited resource. If it were infinite, it wouldn't mean anything.
We use this limited resource to represent value in our society. We spend money on things that we think are valuable at the time of the spending.
When someone pays $20 for a dinner, they do so because they value that dinner and experience enough to pay $20 for it out of their finite bank account. If someone pays $200 a month for home entertainment cable packages, they do so because they value it enough to put the money toward it.
Parishioners give money to their churches because they value what the Church offers them and what it does in their society to make the world a better place (however they understand that).
Some people will want a particular kind of item, but spend more money on the equivalent elsewhere because they want to support local businesses or they do not want to support what they consider to be unjust business practices.
How we use our money reveals what we value in this world.
Now, back to the idea that money is a finite resource in society.
Because we exchange money for goods and services, money also represents access to those goods and services.
Imagine you have 100 people and $1,000 per pay cycle to spread among them. Each of those people needs to pay at least $3 per pay cycle in order to live well. This includes things like food, housing, etc.
As you can see, there's plenty for everyone to thrive.
Now, imagine $500 of our total spread out among the top 10 people in that group. That leaves $500 for 90 people. Things are getting a little tighter.
On top of that, imagine $250 going to the next 10 people.
That leaves $250 for the rest of the 80 people who need $3 per pay cycle to live well.
I think you get the idea. Hoarding wealth is the same as hoarding food and housing while people around them struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads…if they are even able to do that at all.
Because money represents value and access to goods and services, it represents the power necessary to live. I don't mean the power to “survive”, but the power to truly live.
So rather than thinking about money as actual money, think about it as power.
“The poor” are those who are having their birthright (abundant life) stolen from them by those in power.
When you think about the poor, don't think about "the poor" as just being the poor, but as all of those who have been disempowered.
With this new perspective, let's look at how messed up our world is. Let’s take a moment and notice how humans are being mistreated in this world right now.
Billionaires are becoming more wealthy while the poor struggle to pay their rent and put food on the table
Countries invade other countries and kill their inhabitants in order to take their land
LGBTQ+ people are treated like second-class citizens, if not subhuman
In America (the richest country in the world) many people can't afford healthcare
As technology expands, the number of jobs decreases, which puts people at risk financially
And so on, and so forth.
"The poor" are all of those who are being marginalized in society right now. It's about all of those who suffer abuse at the hands of power.
So, the call to "feed the poor" isn't just about actually feeding the poor. It's also about taking a stand with "the poor" against those who would keep them poor and steal away the quality of life that God would have them enjoy.
That’s who “the poor” symbolizes. And anyone who would dare treat beloved children of God in such a way has crossed a grievous line.
"Behold," we proclaim, "the kingdom of God is nigh."
When [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4.16–19, NRSVUE)
A message of Hope to captives.
A message of Woe to oppressors.
All in one Breath.
Does this mean that Jesus wants us to give away all our money to the poor and to be poor ourselves?
I don't think that's what it means at all. In fact, Paul recognizes that he had benefactors whom he held in high esteem. In other words, he had people supporting his ministry who had the money to do so. They definitely were not poor. In fact, they were probably quite rich.
Yes, those benefactors lived in abundance. And (here’s the important part) they were using their gift (wealth) to make the world a better place.
The Christian call is not to relinquish all wealth, all status, all power, or everything that is of value.
Rather, our call is to use what we have for the benefit of others.
Use wealth to feed and clothe the poor.
Use political power to represent the marginalized.
Use your voice to speak for the silenced.
Use your time to support the overburdened.
Use your skills to empower the overtasked.
And, while you do so, remember you're part of a wider process of becoming. No matter how much headway you make, you will never be able to solve all of the world's problems.
For you always have the poor with you…. (Matt 26.11a, NRSVUE)
Be grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others today. Celebrate the wins when you achieve them. It's a huge accomplishment. And it's okay to be proud of it.
But, what about tomorrow's struggles?
You can deal with those when tomorrow comes. There will always be tomorrow. So, for now. let them go.
Of course, this entire understanding of "the poor" as a symbol representing the marginalized requires theological rather than biblical thinking.
I’ll talk about the difference between the two of those thought patterns next time.
Peace, Bo
www.evolvingchristianfaith.net
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