Weekly Devotion, "Poverty Alleviation" February 20, 2012

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manger

 

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 14:31

The book of Proverbs has much to say to the poor and about the poor. To those who choose laziness instead of labor, God warns, A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man (Proverbs 6:10-11). The Apostle Paul lived by the rule that he taught: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Laziness is a single facet within the multidimensional system of poverty. The book of Proverbs also acknowledges that being poor can stem from injustice – An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away (13:23), from oppression ­– Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God (14:31), or from exploitation – Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court (22:22).

God is a Father to the fatherless, a Defender of the poor, and a Helper to the needy. Jesus’ justice mission of reconciliation included preaching good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, recovering sight for the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19). We must follow in Jesus’ steps and obey God’s command to Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy (31:8-9).

We honor God when we are kind to the needy (14:31). Mercy to the needy is a loan to GOD, and GOD pays back those loans in full (19:17, MSG). Generous people will be blessed; those who give to the poor will lack nothing (22:9, 28:27).

To shut our eyes and ears to the cries of the poor comes with severe consequences (28:27). Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished (17:5). Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor, will also cry out and not be answered (21:13).

“Poverty alleviation is the ministry of reconciliation: moving people closer to glorifying God by living in right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation,” writes Brian Fikkert, Steve Corbett, and John Perkins within the must read book, When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself. “Because every one of us is suffering from brokenness in our foundational relationships, all of us need ‘poverty alleviation,’ just in different ways. Our relationship to the materially poor should be one in which we recognize that both of us are broken and that both of us need the blessing of reconciliation.”

Wisdom Step: What can you do to alleviate poverty today?

Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings.

Bryant L. Myers

Weeky Devotional, "Little by Little", February 13, 2012

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manger

 

LITTLE BY LITTLE

Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 13:11

“Slow and steady, steady and slow. That’s the way we always go” is a quote from a Walt Disney Goofy book that I read to my girls often when they were little. It’s how Goofy made it across the finish line. It’s also one of the aspects to financial planning that God gives us in the book of Proverbs.

Little by little, slow and steady, when we’re diligent in earning money and managing it rightly, savings accounts can grow. Add patience and faithful stewardship to the principle of compound interest and the resources can greatly increase.

Throughout Scripture and within the book of Proverbs diligence is often associated with wisdom and wealth, and contrasted to laziness, foolishness, and poverty. Little by little is God’s economic wisdom for personal finance and His Kingdom. Steady diligence pays off (Proverbs 13:11b, MSG).   

In the Parable of the King’s Ten Servants recorded in Luke 19, Jesus tells of a king who gave his ten subjects ten minas. “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back” (v. 13b).

The first two servants were praised and rewarded for gaining more money than they were originally given, ten minas, and five minas, respectfully. The third servant was called wicked for laying his mina aside. The master replied, “Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?” Then he said to those standing by, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas” (v. 23-24).

What gifts of money, resources, time, and talents, has God given to you? He’s entrusted us with so much! Just think of three. Write them down:

1. ________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. ________________________________

What does your investment portfolio look like? Are you using these things to store up treasures on earth or are you diligently, little by little, slow and steady, investing them in the treasures of heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)?

Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48b). Those who are faithful with what’s entrusted to them will be richly blessed, but those who are eager to get rich will not go unpunished (Proverbs 28:20).

   

Wisdom Step: Describe your investment in God’s Kingdom. Is it easy come, easy go or a steady diligence for His glory?

We measure our worth by what we have; God measures it by what we’ve left behind.

Bob Goff

Weekly Devotion - "Better/Than Statements" - February 6, 2012

from Lenae, GEMS Training Manager

BETTER/THAN STATEMENTS

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28:6

A wacky icebreaker that gets girls giggling is the Would You Rather? Game.

Ø  Would you rather drink one gallon of ketchup or one gallon of mustard?

Ø  Would you rather be in a room with 500 spiders or 1,000 crickets?

Ø  Would you rather have a snake or a skunk for a pet?

The girls’ responses to those questions are as varied as their personalities. However, ask girls of all ages (and boys of every generation, too!) if they’d rather be rich or poor and the majority vote will probably favor wealth over poverty.

The wisdom found in the book of Proverbs always trumps popular opinion. When posed with the would you rather be rich or poor question, it’s considerations go far beyond finances, money, possessions, things, and stuff. It cuts to the heart.

In the book of Proverbs we learn that it’s better to be poor than rich if wealth . . .

√ Keeps you from being honest and trustworthy (28:6)

√ Becomes your fortress and protection (18:11)

√ Makes you surly and unapproachable (18:23)

√ Deafens your ears to the cry of the poor (21:13)

√ Causes you to forget and dishonor God (30:9)

The bottom line is that riches are not the problem. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil – this is a gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

The trouble comes when we love riches more than God and treasure things more than the Giver of all gifts. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:10). The book of Proverbs says that it’s better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil (15:16). How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver (16:16)!

There are two sides to every coin and two parts to what the book of Proverbs teaches us about money. Within this book of wisdom it teaches the positive side to earning, managing, and using our possessions, and warns that there is a negative side to gaining and maintaining wealth. Understanding God’s perspective on possessions and honoring Him with wise stewardship of all that He’s entrusted to us will keep us from the potential pitfalls that riches can bring.

Wisdom Step: How much do you treasure or fret about money? Would it be better for you to be poor than rich?

Some people are so poor they only have money!

Ivor Powell