Poverty is defined as the human condition of not having the means to provide a standard level of food, water, and shelter for one’s family. This is a global problem, but we are seeing it manifest itself in new ways in the United States, and it’s often not easy to spot amongst our neighbors. In one of the wealthiest nations on earth, poverty often hides in plain sight—among working families, seniors on fixed incomes, and rural communities.
In the United States, about 37.9 million residents, or 11.5% live in poverty. Those most at-risk for experiencing poverty include female-headed homes with no husband present, young adults without high school diplomas, those in a family in which the head of household is unemployed, and minorities.
Many around us are experiencing financial insecurity and housing instability, while not meeting the poverty threshold. The “ALICE” group—employed yet living paycheck to paycheck—represents nearly 29% of the U.S. population. Asset poverty is another barrier for many Americans, as roughly half of households lack enough savings or resources to cover basic needs for at least three months. Many families with jobs still struggle to provide stable housing and nutrition as the cost of living has risen over the past few years.
We saw over the pandemic prices across the board, and by mid-2022, inflation reached a staggering 9%- the highest in a generation. While inflation has slowed, it’s still above the target levels, and prices remain high. To put it in perspective, on average, prices are about 26% higher than before the pandemic. This is a massive burden for households across the board, as income growth has not matched this 26% price jump, leaving families struggling to provide.
How can we embody Christ’s compassion when poverty isn’t always visible, when our brothers and sisters suffer in silence?
Be Willing to Listen to the Stories of Those Around You
James 1:19 reminds us, “You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.”
Pausing to listen to the stories of our neighbors, those we bump into at the grocery store, those sitting beside us at church, and co-workers can help us understand more about the situations people are facing around us. Appearances often don’t tell the whole story. We have to be willing to ask questions and take our time to hear what others are saying about their experiences in order to truly be able to respond to their needs.
Christians Live Generously, Knowing God Is Our Provider
Proverbs 11:24-25 says, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
As Believers, we live in an ‘Upside Down Kingdom’ in which our logic is turned upside down to follow the Way Jesus outlines for us in the Bible. Radical generosity is a part of this backwards living. We trust that God provides what we need as we give our time, talent, resources, love, creativity, money, and more freely. Trusting him to multiply all we have allows us to hold our lives loosely. We can obey the Holy Spirit’s prodding to give to those around us when we see a need.
Remember, giving isn’t always about writing a check. There are many ways that this inflated economy adds stress to individuals that isn’t just about money. It can be that our time is compressed because more of it is spent working to pay the bills, childcare can be challenging to obtain, making working more challenging for single-parent families, housing and transportation become difficult to maintain as the cost of these necessities has gone through the roof.
Whatever privilege, time, or resource we have that allows us access to some of these things can be shared with our neighbors. We can provide a ride or inexpensive childcare for a single mom or an overworked, struggling couple, or offer a meal to a neighbor who doesn’t have time to cook. There are so many simple ways to show love and compassion. We just have to ask God to give us the eyes to see the needs around us.
One of the most at-risk demographics in our communities when poverty is on the rise is children. Research indicates that poverty during childhood has a direct and indirect impact on child welfare involvement. Poverty is a leading contributing factor to children being placed in foster care. As believers, we can open our homes as foster parents, creating a safe place for these kids to land and open our hearts to advocating for the health and stability of the entire family unit. The world desperately needs more individuals to stand in the gap for children and families struggling in our communities.
Remove Financial Pressure and Barriers Whenever Possible
One of the struggles with this tightened economy is that the pressure to spend, have more, and do more just keeps growing. Social media glorifies the lifestyles of the rich and the famous, creating unrealistic models of what the good life should be. Additionally, there are so few activities, experiences, and opportunities that don’t come with a cost, making it challenging for those who are financially struggling to access these opportunities.
Find ways to promote minimalism in your home and through your lifestyle. Stop requiring gifts for the birthday parties you throw for your kids, and plan free or low-cost hangouts. Our churches find more ways to avoid charging for opportunities for families to engage in the church community and access its resources. Cut back on holidays in your family, removing some of the pressure to spend so much on gifts and celebrations. Promote less consumerism in your family as a way to model that we can be content living a simpler life.
As a note to parents, we can love our kids well while being frugal. It’s okay if they can only ever do recreational sports, they don’t need new clothes for every season, homemade lunches are better for them, they don’t play with all the toys you buy them so we can buy them less, they don’t need treats everyday of the week, and saying no is a good way to model restraint in a culture that promotes constant indulgence.
I know there is so much pressure to give them endless opportunities to participate in all the activities at the highest level, to offer them the chance to receive everything they think they want, and every outing feels like a chance to purchase a treat. It is a hugely valuable life skill to show them how to manage their desires, engage with the opportunities your family can afford, and find joy in less materialistic things.
Pass Along Items You No Longer Need
One way we can love our neighbors is to pass along items you no longer need to those who can use them. In our community, we have a Buy Nothing Group on Facebook, and it’s truly a special way to share items you no longer use with your neighbors. These groups allow you to post items you aren’t using; others can comment if they want the item. You can choose whoever you’d like to gift the item to. People in the group can also “wish” for things they need. This is a great way to express your needs to your neighbors.
Passing down gently used kids’ clothing and items to families in your church community, to non-profits that support those in vulnerable situations, or other charity groups can be a great way to lighten the load for those around you. Supporting groups that offer tangible goods for those in the community who may need access to food, clothing, home goods, and more is an excellent way to show compassion for your neighbor.
We have to keep our ears and hearts open to the promoting of the Holy Spirit in order to be his light and love in this world. He is faithful to show us how we can give freely and meet the tangible and spiritual needs of our neighbors and loved ones.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Zac Gudakov
