The Rich Versus The Poor

by Joshua Miranda 

Once while in India I was telling a person about Christ, he asked me a question when the time had

come for him to accept or reject Christ as his savior; he said “If God is real how come some people are born in rich families and how come some are born in poor families that live on the street? Doesn’t God not care about His creatures?”  Like that person we are surrounded by people with questions concerning poverty. Who is to blame for such a situation that surrounds us, is its God, is it the government, is it the low paying jobs etc.

 In 2008 the average income in Mumbai was around 25 thousand a month, today this same average income is about 40-45 thousand a month. Anyone earning less than 20 thousand is put into the low income category. The high rate of real estate and utilities for the same puts the low income category folk from accessing the much needed resources such as a good education for one’s child, healthcare for each family member etc. 

“The rich and the poorer have a common bond, the Lord is the maker of them both” (Proverbs 22:2, Nasu). There are some who are born rich and are more fortunate with more opportunities and some who are poor and less fortunate with no opportunities at all. Sometimes there is corruption involved and at sometimes natural laws take over. If parents are prudent and wise, it will most likely also be that their children will all be prudent and wise. When children have rich parents they get a huge inheritance and do better in the world they live in. It really doesn’t matter if a person is educated or not in the final day when he stands before God only the opportunities he had will be judged. This is mentioned in Luke 16:10 (Nasu) “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” It going to be all about how we used what we possessed. Also if a person is in a position to help a poor person and knows of someone like that who he can help and doesn’t do it he stands guilty before God. (Proverbs 3:27-28, James 4:17). God counts every opportunity we had even the place where were born is recorded “The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, "This one was born there."” (Psalm 87:6, NASU)

God when he entrusts a lot of riches to someone a lot is required of that person, if that person is to be a good steward for God. Even a person who is born poor can somehow think big and somehow achieve his goals by being smart, working hard and being persistent and following his passion (this is not always true but is possible). A poor person mostly hangs out with the wrong friends who teach him the wrong things. A person normally becomes the person they normally hangout with.

Many a times a person suffers due to lack of finances because in the days of plenty he doesn’t save for the times of need. We see an example of Joseph in Genesis, he is in charge of everything even

after facing a series of trials because he is relying on God all the way. The reason why Joseph is head over all Egypt is because he displays the wisdom of God when Pharaoh needed his dreams interpreted. Pharaoh has a couple of dreams in Genesis 41:17-24. Pharaoh is a person who is dependent on everyone else except God to interpret his dreams and no one in Pharaohs court can interpret those dreams. Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh. Egypt in the seven years of harvest has to save for the seven years of famine that what Joseph interpreted of the Pharaohs dreams . This story is should remind each person that an economy can go up and can go down. Joseph knew that the economy of Egypt was up and told the Pharaoh that they should save 20% of all the produce of Egypt in the seven years of plenty that way when the years of famine came they would have enough food to survive on . In the midst of trials all the way to becoming prime minister Joseph relied on God and because he relied on God, God gave Joseph a formula to save. Save 20% of the income. And because Joseph used that formula Egypt prospered even in the days of famine. 

Causes & Results of Poverty

In the Biblical times someone without any material possessions was considered to be living in poverty. If you read scripture carefully it is clear that it was not God intention to for his people to live in poverty. In fact everyone who lived in poverty was to be treated with compassion. Some of the ways that caused people of the Bible to go to the extent of living in poverty were (1) Laziness/Inaction  (Proverbs 6:10-11; 10:4; 20:13; 24:33-34) (2) Discipline to work hard (Proverbs 13:18; 21:5) (3) A promise to someone that couldn’t be fulfilled (Proverbs 22:26:27) (4) Debt  (Matt. 18:23-25) (5) Not saving up for times of need(Luke 15:14). Poverty in the book of proverbs leads to ruin (10:15), shame (13:18), misery (31:7), crime (6:30; 30:8-9).[1]

Most of these examples bring us to the conclusion that it most likely the fault of someone that a particular family is poor today. It can also be that a person is born poor but can train their children to dream big and achieve those dreams. But poverty starts when children, parents or someone up the family tree decided that it was ok to live a certain lifestyle without any goals or determination or with a low self-image that plunged that family into poverty.

Reflection Question

Q. Why are some people rich while some are poor? Who is to blame for this?

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[1]  Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).