How to Succeed at Being Poor

poor-kidsLiving in the Spirit
September 7, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 14

There they shall be in great terror,
   for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor,
   but the Lord is their refuge.  

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad. –Psalm 14:5-7

Apparently, someone needs to write a self-help book, How to Succeed at Being Poor in the Wealthiest Nation in the World. At least the subject of such a book seems to be the intent of our nation. Producing such a book might be a waste of time, however, for we are no longer even willing to teach our children how to read unless it can happen very cheaply or it provides profit for a private enterprise. Wealth is finite. The earth and all that is in it has limited space and limited resources. For some to have more, some must have less. For some to have a lot more, many more must have less.

The USA unemployment rate is very low. Most able-bodied adults work or are looking for work. We need those undocumented immigrants just to get required work done. Many people work at two or more jobs and still do not make ends meet. Some businesses only schedule staff to work less than a 40-hour week, so the business does not have to provide benefits. Tax-payers subsidize businesses that pay low wages by providing SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, and Child Care Subsidy. There virtually no longer exists a cash payment welfare program for families with their own children. Yet, we continue to hear about and belittle the welfare mooches and the lazy good-for-nothings receiving food stamps etc.

God makes it clear that when we seek God we probably should start looking among the folks, we disparage the most.

Prayer: God, help us to see that you created enough for everyone and that we have the task of sharing your bounty. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.