I recommend this article if only because it sets out very well ideas previously articulated on this blog. Don't be put off by the USA context: the principles apply everywhere.
I hope you'll read every word.
We've got to get this right.
When Jesus said, “You will always have the poor among you,” he wasn't suggesting that poverty is beyond repair. Instead, he was indicting the religious and political systems of the day that allow poverty to exist.
Because here's the truth that Jesus was confronting. Given the self-centeredness and greed of the rich, political, and religious in our world, poverty will never get solved. Not because it can't, but because those that can… won't. That's the brutal condemning message of Jesus.
We will always have the poor among us because poverty is big business. You don't have billionaires and harsh capitalism without it. Especially when the religious adjust their message and fabricate a gospel that enables and partners with greed.
See, the deeper message of Jesus is that everything you see is by design.
Things could be so much better for everyone, but they're designed not to be; not by Jesus, but by the selfish evil people of this world.
We could solve poverty, but we don't. We could make voting easy, but we don't. We could have schools without school shootings, but we don't. We could make food healthy instead of poisonous, but we don't. We could have a living wage, but we don't. We could have safe and environmentally friendly energy, but we don't. We could have universal free healthcare, but we don't. So many things could be so much better, but we won't.
Everything is by design.
That's why Jesus came offering a totally different vision and a totally different design for the world, but the religious and powerful despised it, because Jesus is terrible for the economy and ambitions of the rich, powerful, and religious.
And so, they killed him.
That's what happens when you speak words of truth straight to the heart of power…
“You will always have the poor with you; you pathetic, self-righteous, greedy, power hungry, self-centered gluttons.”
See, contrary to what most Christians will tell you, this is what Jesus means when he says “don't be of the world.” In the mind of Jesus, to be “of the world” is to be of a religious, political system of greed and power that envisions and designs a world where the rich, powerful, privileged, and religious are exempt from accountability and consequence, while the rest of us--the marginalized, condemned, discriminated, powerless, struggling, exploited, and vulnerable--pay the price.
In fact, Jesus “dying for the sins of the world” is evil's greatest diversion away from the real purpose and cause of Jesus which is to dismantle the evil systems of the world created by the rich and religious.
Think about it, if you want to keep people from breaking down the systems you create to exploit and oppress them, just brainwash them into believing that their real threat is a God who will send them to hell if they don't believe and live like you do.
That's right, the Gospel isn't about personal salvation nearly as much (if it all) as it is about systemic revolution. Our salvation is inseparably connected to the renovation and resurrection of the oppressive human systems the powerful create.
It's never been about people getting into heaven, it's always been about heaven coming down to us.
It's the meek inheriting the earth, not the rich and religious. It's the last being put first, not the powerful. It's the immigrant being welcomed, not marginalized, abused, and deported. It's the dismantling of patriarchy, racism, white-supremacy, bigotry, inequality, and greed, not the celebration and empowerment of it.
Because, when Jesus sees poverty, he sees the “beloved.” When Republican Evangelicals see poverty, they see “big business.”
When Jesus sees self-righteousness, he sees a “fake and empty” faith. When Republican Evangelicals see self-righteousness, they see a “fast-track to power and privilege” no matter what it takes.
When Jesus sees children, he sees “free school lunches,” shooter-less classrooms, critical thinking, and personal empowerment. When Republican Evangelicals see children, they see “free labor,” future cult members, and vulnerable sexual prey.
When Jesus sees queer people he sees “humans beautifully created in the image of God.” When Republican Evangelicals see queer people, they see “subhuman targets to hate and discriminate" for personal and political gain
When Jesus sees diversity, he sees the “fabric of God's creation.” When Republican Evangelicals see diversity, they see a “foe to their power and privilege” that needs to be destroyed.
When Jesus sees people, he sees “divine beings” to be loved, empowered, protected, and cherished. When Republican Evangelicals see people, they see “depraved souls” to be leveraged for personal profit, power, and control.
When Jesus sees cruelty, he sees the “opposite of all that is good, holy, and of the divine.” When Republican Evangelicals see cruelty they see it as a “spiritual gift and a sign of sanctification.”
Jesus sees Gaza, he sees “suffering and injustice.” When Republican Evangelicals see Gaza, they see “sandy beaches” littered with billionaire houses and members only golf courses.
When Jesus sees Israel, he sees a “people group” no more divine or favored than any other. When Republican Evangelicals see Israel, they see a “partner in crime” to spiritually justify and magnify their evil.
Everything is by design.
Addiction to social media is by design.
Fear of God is by design.
Unhealthiness is by design.
Hatred for minorities is by design.
Financial hardships are by design.
Racism is by design.
War is by design.
Poverty is by design.
Religious shame is by design.
Patriarchy is by design.
Injustice is by design.
Violence is by design.
Hunger is by design.
Discrimination is by design.
Favoritism for the rich and powerful is by design.
Fatigue is by design.
Sexism is by design.
Blame of the less fortunate is by design.
Demonizing the different is by design.
Division is by design.
Classism is by design.
Toxic masculinity is by design.
Ignorance is by design.
“You will always have the poor among you”
Why?
Because, everything we see is by design.
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