Understanding "Blessed are the poor"

This past week, Pastor Isaiah, our DML leader in Burundi who was visiting us in Grand Rapids, shared more about the impact of forty years of war in Burundi.  He shared that when the war broke out in the early 1970s, the church was still very young.  The first genocide killed most of the pastors and all the missionaries were evacuated.  This left a significant leadership vacuum in the church.

Because of this "brain drain" (which often occurs in wartime), many false teachings crept in.  

One false teaching that has lasted to this day is that you must be poor to go to heaven.  To be rich, therefore, means you will not go to heaven.  Because of that, people are afraid to be successful.  And that means that you do not work, you do not create or innovate.  He said that people will even let some crops spoil or not process them due to that fear.

Suddenly, the understanding of this majority Christian country that also bears a significant challenge of poverty, begins to make more sense.  

Where does this false teaching come from?  There seem to be two key texts:

Luke 6:20: Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 5:3:  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

I can see how it could be confusing and it is not teaching that is unique to Burundi.  In the 12th and 13th centuries, poverty was the goal of many.  But there was a lopsided view toward wealth and an exalted status for those who were poor.  

The Bible does teach us to be content.  Our hope and our identity are not to be found in material things, power, or position. The Bible does teach us to be willing to give up ALL things to follow Christ - we are owners of nothing but stewards of everything.  And the Bible does tell us that the poor may be richer in faith.

But these texts do not imply that being poor is therefore a good thing or that it should be our goal. Poverty is often the result of injustice but it is also equated with laziness in the book of Proverbs.

Rather, the Bible over and again tells us to work diligently and that the reward is often greater wealth.  With that wealth, we are encouraged to be generous - to help those in need.  Poverty does not mean an advantage - rather it is a disadvantage that God meets with His love.  

Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us that wealth creation is a command from God and a confirmation of His covenant.  We are not to forget that it is a gift from Him and therefore an opportunity for more stewardship - wealth management in God's way.

The idea that many are languishing in poverty as a result of this false teaching is very sad.  Intentionally reducing oneself to poverty keeps us from providing for others.  As we often teach, there is no wealth to be shared unless it is first created.  

We continue to be so thankful for our partners and supporters who are seeking to correct this message and equip the church to do work as an act of worship, to the glory of God!