It seems to me the greatness of a few who rose out of misery doesn't really compensate for the misery of the many others who never "made it"; the cost of societal misery is a very high price to pay for occasional genius, but without a doubt the poverty we see in this world does drive a few to become great. It fills them with depth of experience and some wisdom to make for greatness. Poverty is terrible, yet in it there is still something of God to be found and seen. Mother Teresa said something along the lines of, 'among the dying poor, we see Christ in his most terrible disguise', There's a lesson in those words.
The poor you shall have with you, always .... said the Lord, he said it without intending to teach that poverty was inevitable or excusable, Gandhi mentioned that poverty is the worst form of violence. And Confucius taught all his lessons to make society orderly and well rules so that poverty might be reduced. The Buddha taught denial of desire as the path to perfection. But in those few words the Lord taught that he, himself, was the only proper answer to earthly poverty.
Matthew 26:6-13 ESV Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, (7) a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. (8) And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? (9) For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor." (10) But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. (11) For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. (12) In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. (13) Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."
Christians, you are called to alleviate poverty, to reduce it, go generously give of yourselves, of your gifts, of your wealth, of your compassion to end the poverty that afflicts those around you.
The poor you shall have with you, always .... said the Lord, he said it without intending to teach that poverty was inevitable or excusable, Gandhi mentioned that poverty is the worst form of violence. And Confucius taught all his lessons to make society orderly and well rules so that poverty might be reduced. The Buddha taught denial of desire as the path to perfection. But in those few words the Lord taught that he, himself, was the only proper answer to earthly poverty.
Matthew 26:6-13 ESV Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, (7) a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. (8) And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? (9) For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor." (10) But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. (11) For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. (12) In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. (13) Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."
Christians, you are called to alleviate poverty, to reduce it, go generously give of yourselves, of your gifts, of your wealth, of your compassion to end the poverty that afflicts those around you.
