Poverty

I think it is harder to be poor today than in the past.

Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth, so as not to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain? For all this, his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still. - Isaiah 10:1-4

In today's Old Testament reading, Isaiah is reprimanding those who pass judgment and make the laws.  He accuses them of preying on the widows and orphans, the poorest of the poor.

We hear this and say things are better today; we have more compassion.  We care.

Maybe we do.  Sure, we have programs that help the poor, providing money for food and to pay the rent, but once the poor start working, the assistance stops, unless they stay poor.

Wouldn't it be better if they could keep getting help while they earned a salary so they could get settled and work toward a living wage?

How long would it take? 

Would they need to keep their benefits for the first year?  Or what about providing help to get them to a salary that gets them out of dependence on the system?

I think our problem is that we don't develop our programs with a goal of improving the situation.  We just offer a little help, not enough to make a difference that lasts.

So, people remain dependent.

Isn't that just like what Isaiah was talking about?

Poverty shouldn't be a way of life.  It should be something we can escape.

What do you think?

More to come...