One current controversy in our nation is about what causes poverty. Who is to blame? This is a controversy which divides everyone, both Christians and non-Christians. . Some people think poverty is caused by an individual’s failure to behave responsibly. This is often correlated with a belief that our country’s economic and justice system is fair, and that it rewards all honest effort. In contrast, others think poverty is caused by systemic injustice and white supremacy, because our country’s system is not fair, privileging some and putting others at a disadvantage. Still others would add that poverty is the result of the breakdown of families.
How are we to think about poverty as Christians? Biblically, reasons for or causes of poverty are quite nuanced. The reasons for poverty in the Scriptures are very realistic and can help us avoid holding too simplistic views. While Scripture does not delineate every possible cause of poverty, we do see some general categories: 1) individual laziness, 2) systemic injustice and oppression 3) religious persecution and 4) generational poverty within a family.
The first Scriptural reason for poverty we will examine is individual laziness. In our last post, we looked at a passage in Proverbs, which teaches that poverty results from laziness and failure to responsibly work and plan. There are two passages which are similar – Proverbs 6:6-11 and Proverbs 24:30-34. Since we looked at Proverbs 6 last time, I will include Proverbs 24 here.
I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,
and the stone wall was ruined.
I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber,
and your need, like a bandit.
Notice that the passage shows us a variety of lapses on the part of the slacker: The slacker has not weeded his or her fields, they have not repaired its stone wall (which makes it vulnerable to thieves and animals), and they have not worked on the field. Wisdom for this person lacking sense would tell them a basic lesson of life: they will reap what they sow, or in this case, they will NOT reap if they don’t sow, tend and protect. It’s easy to discern that the passage clearly labels foolishness about how the world works, and the resulting laziness as the cause of poverty. The appropriate response to a fool or slacker is correction or discipline, though that does not preclude showing compassion. There are other passages in the Bible which echo this idea.
But that’s NOT the whole story! The Bible also gives us clear examples of systemic oppression. A few weeks ago, in our post on Work, I finished with verses from James 5:1-6, referring to a way in which the powerful oppress their workers by not paying them speedily. In the Old Testament there are multiple passages which refer to the powerful and wealthy oppressing the poor. Here’s an especially pungent one:
Amos 4:1
Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan
who are on the hill of Samaria,
women who oppress the poor
and crush the needy,
who say to their husbands,
“Bring us something to drink.”
If you search in Bible Gateway, using the word “oppress,” you will find many entries. There are 159 entries for the word “oppress” alone, everything from God speaking of the oppression that Israel experienced at the hands of Egypt, to His many commands for them not to do the same to others, and passages where God is rebuking Israel for their oppression of others. Furthermore, Psalms 9 and 10 clearly demonstrate that God is a God of justice who sees the oppression of the needy:
“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” 9:9
“For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.” 9:12
“The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you!” 9:16b-19
“In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.” 10:2-3
“He (the wicked) lurks in ambush like a lion on his thicket; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.” 10:8-10
“O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.” 10:17-18
It is clear from these two Psalms that God sees the oppression of the needy as a great wickedness, worthy of His divine judgement.
I found a passage in Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 which is a bit enigmatic, but I think is helpful for those of us who are skeptical of the idea of systemic injustice.
8 If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them. 9 The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field. (CSB)
8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. (ESV)
I put in two translations of the passage, because that shows us that the translation of the passage is difficult. There is a slight difference in how one reads the passage depending on how you translate the Hebrew word for watch or guard or protect. Both translations note oppression of the poor which affects multiple levels of governing authorities in verse 8. The CSB translation of verse 9 suggests these two verses are both speaking cynically about how power can become corrupt, concerned only with profit. Because the king wants productive cultivated fields, he may allow for oppression of the poor. Indeed that oppression might be built into the multi-tiered system, one official carrying out oppressive practices, while a higher official protects or guards him from negative consequences for perpetrating injustice. A less cynical reading is also possible, acknowledging the human tendency to build unjust systems in verse 8, but following in verse 9 with an assurance that everyone in a society is benefited by a productive economy. They are both plausible ways to read the verses. In either case, poverty caused by injustice should be addressed by correcting the system, and restitution of what has been unjustly denied is appropriate.
Here is a link to a recent article in the New York Times, telling how a neighborhood in Chicago experienced decline during the second half of the 20th century, and how oppression was one of the factors impoverishing its inhabitants.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/magazine/life-expectancy-racial-gap.html
A third general cause of poverty is religious persecution. The author of Hebrews writes, “For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.” (Hebrews 10:34) In this passage we see people being made poor due to persecution for their faith. Indeed, the author reminds his readers (and us!) that what we have in Christ is better than anything we could have on earth. This would also apply to diverse communities of faith all over the world, not just to Christians.
Finally, a fourth major cause of poverty is calamity in an individual family’s life. The death of a breadwinner, drought or other natural disaster can severely impair the prosperity or productivity of a family. Furthermore, when children are born into poor families they often also remain relatively poor. Repeatedly in the Scriptures, God teaches his people to care for the fatherless, the widow and the sojourner. In Deuteronomy 10, God says, “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” In the New Testament, James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this; to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The repetition of these three groups of people throughout scripture reinforces that God considers them vulnerable to both poverty and injustice. Because all three of these groups of people lack the ability to earn a living as others are able, God provides for them in many ways. God does not judge them or treat them as ones who have brought calamity upon themselves. It is important to note that the fatherless, widows and immigrants are still vulnerable populations in our time. In addition, Scripture uses these categories to represent vulnerable populations in general. The breakdown of the family, whether it occurs by divorce, incarceration or death, leaves children particularly vulnerable. Those children are not responsible for the situation in which they live, and are at risk in both their present existence and their future adult lives. Addressing their poverty involves both generosity and empowerment. We will see one way of extending that generosity and empowerment in the next post.
God’s Word confirms that the roots of poverty are complex, and therefore the responses to poverty are also complex. The views we hold on what causes poverty also have an effect on the attitude we have toward the poor, ranging from judgement, to condescension, to compassion, and to respect. For example, if we believe all poverty is caused by laziness, we are tempted to have an attitude of judgment and condescension. If we believe all poverty is caused by injustice, we have an attitude of both compassion and respect for the endurance of hardships we may never have experienced. Our dialogue should acknowledge the complexity of causes the Bible teaches, as well as the compassion of God’s provision for the less productive people among us. Our perspectives on the causes of poverty not only influences our attitude toward the poor but also the solutions which we consider. We will talk about this in future posts.