Extreme Poverty
Extreme poverty is the most severe state of poverty.
Many cannot meet basic needs for food, water, shelter, sanitation, and health care. To determine the affected population, the World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.25 per day (adjusted for PPP). The World Bank estimates that 1.4 billion people currently live under these conditions.
What God Has To Say About It
The Bible contains more than 300 verses on the poor, social justice, and God's deep concern for both.If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.
Deuteronomy 15:7
Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:66
Deuteronomy 15:7
Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:66
Jesus' Call On The Earth
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read... "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD... Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Luke 4:16-21
Luke 4:16-21
Jesus himself was a man who lived amongst the poor and the untouchable. He got dirty and He made messes by making everyone in the religious establishment mad at Him for touching those deemed unworthy of it. But He called the disciples out and He calls us out today, still speaking to us with the rhema word, "As you do unto the least, you do unto me".
Getting Jesus Means We Get Justice
As we do our part to bring men, women and children the world over out of extreme poverty, we enter into an act of worship, where each act is as unto Jesus Himself. This means we cannot separate justice from intimacy with knowing Jesus Himself. The world has its great social justice movements, doing great work, but many do it without Jesus. As we like to say around here, "Give me justice, and you might find Jesus. But give me Jesus, and you can't help but get justice, because this is at the heart of Jesus". Read our article on the collision of worship and justice. Click here.
An Invitation For the Holy Spirit
And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.
Acts 4:32-35
Acts 4:32-35
Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and when the Spirit came, it drew thousands in the streets and pretty soon, we see that the Spirit's coming brought a complete halt to poverty.
We need the Holy Spirit again to come upon us like in Acts, that we might see the power, ideas and strategies for ending extreme poverty in our time. Jesus said "It is better than I go so my Spirit can come", so we at the Revolt Collective hold onto this, that it is this same Spirit that will lead and guide us all to be the greatest lovers of those in the farthest reaches of poverty.
Resources To Take Action
» The One Campaign» Oxfam America
» Oxfam International
» ActionAid
» Christian Aid
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