Is it a war on poverty or a war against the poor we are fighting? In his first State of the Union speech, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a “War on Poverty.” Johnson’s declaration came just weeks after succeeding to the White House upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. How has the war gone? The poverty rate has basically stayed steady since the 1970’s and certainly has worsened over the past 18 months.
The question we must ask ourselves is do we know how to execute this “War on Poverty.” I recently attended a conference at the First Broad Street United Methodist Church in Kingsport, TN. The conference was called “Abolishing Poverty in Appalachia: The Church’s Response To God’s Call”. The conference was inspiring and well organized, but I left still with a nagging question about whether or not we knew how to do this.
There are numerous organizations, foundations, and individuals dedicated to dealing with this issue. There are articles, magazines, and books on it. You can study it at college or at institutes dedicated to economic issues. Why then have we not made more progress?
Maybe it is the fault of the poor. Some would argue that this is true. However, if I am born with a disability that does not allow me to work. Is being poor my fault? If I have worked for myself in construction and there is suddenly no need for my services, is it my fault? If I am born into a family in a county where there is no work and no hope, is it my fault that I can’t dream of something I have never seen.
The country in which I grew up is devastatingly poor. Appalachia is poor, but Zimbabwe is almost on its last leg. Do we blame and shame or do we embrace and claim? That is the real question. Do we see people, God’s creation, or do we not see them at all?
The only way to really help anyone including the poor is to first see them as a person. Then let them guide you in how best to help them. The key word here is being “with” the person you are trying to help. Walk beside them. Show them the love Christ has shown His church. Remember Christ did not say anything goes, but He was willing to go anywhere to find His lost lamb.
