Who are the poor? A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I am still chewing on the implications of the following video from Claudio Oliver. It is a brief yet deep glance into the idea what it means to be poor. His conclusion is a thought-provoking one. Basically the premise is that poverty is NOT and economic issue. It is intrinsically a relational one. The solution to poverty (okay, “solution” may be an overstatement) is not to direct more financial resources in a particular direction. Since the core issue is relational, a better plan of addressing this issue is for us to actually befriend those recognized as poor.

And here is where we, as the independent, Western evangelicals that we are, begin to feel uncomfortable. Surely we can’t actually befriend the poor. We can’t invite them into our homes. What if they steal from us? What if they abuse our friendship? What if they take advantage of us?

Have you seen Les Misérables? I fear we too often worship at the false altar of safety and security.

Another great contemporary example of this is Robert Downey Jr.’s character from the film The Soloist. Downey never can quite understand this mentally ill, classically trained, homeless musician until he ends up spending the night on the streets of LA’s Skid Row with him. Something remarkable happens as this homeless man is transformed from a journalistic experiment to a real live human being, who is a friend. Were there risks? I will simply reference the scene where Robert Downey Jr is crawling away after being beaten by the very friend he was attempting to help.

Again, I fear we too often worship at the false altar of safety and security.

Claudio Oliver’s point cuts home. What happens to the poor if they are truly surrounded by those who care, say for example like the church, or like you? Can a person like this really go without a place to sleep? Would we let one we call a friend live on the streets? Obviously we don’t have all the answers, but my brain and my heart are enjoying the discomfort brought on by the topic. Sometimes, it is this discomfort stirring in my heart which brings a welcome reminder that there are still dragons left to slay.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.