Poverty

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. Mark14:7NIV

There is a massive drive in the UK to wipe out the need for food banks, and poverty itself, but is this realistic? The government have announced their intention to appoint a ‘Minister of Poverty’, but can this work? This short verse contains three important points, but leaves the most important to the last in an effort to drive home the message.

“The poor you will always have with you” goes against the government’s action in appointing a minister to eliminate poverty because we are told whether we like it or not, there will always be poor folks among us.

“You can help them any time you want” is a clear reminder of the need and importance as believers to do all we can to reduce the effects of poverty, while acknowledging the clear fact that we will never eradicate it.

“You will not always have me” is the stark truth which rises above the desire to help the poor, and addresses a more fundamental need. There are two levels to this phrase. Jesus was telling His disciples that there would shortly come a time when He would not be with them, but without saying how it would happen. However today this phrase applies to those who, through their own free will, reject Him and His gift of salvation. Some (literally) very poor people will lose out twice. No food and no future, and it doesn’t have to be like that.

Based on this, I suggest we are not doing the whole job if all we do is supply food for the body. Food is very important, but Jesus tells us clearly that it is only half the work needed. It is more important that we give the message of the more nourishing heavenly manna for their soul to supplement the food for the body. Then, and only then, we will have completed the full commandment.