Poverty
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God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
-1 Corinthians 1:27
We’ve sure had some snow this week! How fortunate we are if we have warm shelter during such storms. And how unfortunate that many of our neighbors do not have that kind of warm shelter.
Many of our unhoused neighbors are not only economically poor, but they have never had the kinds of riches some of us have taken for granted, like growing up amidst a supportive and loving family, having the ability to learn at an average pace, support to do well in school, ready access to health and dental care, transportation to be able to get to work, strong and inspiring mentors, etc. Many of our neighbors also have serious mental illnesses, deep seated addictions or other traumatic issues that keep them from wanting to be inside. This winter, though, even if they did want to come in, the shelters are all full. So there are dozens of people in Keene this winter who are living in tents or cars outside - even in weather like we’ve had this week.
I wonder how I would fare sleeping outside in a Cheshire County winter. While my position in the world is considered ‘stronger’ than my unhoused neighbors, their ‘weakness’ gives me great pause as I walk right by them on my way home to my warm house. It feels like a pretty visceral example of the weak shaming the strong, because I do feel ashamed of how our society allows such a disparity between rich and poor to exist, often turning a blind eye, and cutting social services more and more each year. People will often blame those who suffer from poverty - they should have made better choices, they’ve made their own beds and noiw they’ve just got to to lie in them. I wonder if we’d be so quick to make such characterizations if we were the ones in their shoes - having found ourselves there due to a long line of one unfortunate event after another. Everyone in the world makes bad choices at times, and most of us find enough love and support in our lives and communities to turn in a new direction. For those who lack such support, recovery is significantly harder. I suspect we blame the poor for their misfortune in order to avoid our own feelings of shame. As Paul wrote, God chooses what is weak in the world to shame what is strong.
Jesus once said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Our tradition tells us in so many ways that wherever there is suffering, Christ is right there. Wherever someone is outcast, Jesus is there, too. If anyone is oppressed, betrayed or abused, Jesus is there. Whatever we do to the least of these we do to him. We are called to receive these, our neighbors, as Christ - for they embody the suffering Christ.
The statue in the picture above travels from city to city, where it is placed on a park bench in a busy area. If you were in a hurry, you could easily walk right by, thinking it is a homeless person sleeping on the bench. But if you look more closely, you’ll see it’s a statue, and that there are nail holes in the man’s feet. The name of the statue is “Homeless Jesus,” and it sometimes causes controversies in cities where it is installed. Some people say it’s insulting, demeaning or just creepy. Others say they fear it will attract more homeless people to their city. Some complain that for the price of a statue, someone could have actually fed a lot of people. I wonder what the resistance is to this art piece with a strong message? I wonder if this statue forces the strong to remember the weak - and it shames us.
There is no human solution to the complicated and difficult hold that poverty has among us. But shame never helps any situation get better. Love is a better approach. Taking little steps toward other in love does a lot more than shrinking back in shame.
Back when we were able to host people overnight in the undercroft (which I hope we will be able to do again once we have our ventilation upgraded downstairs,) our guests would always say they loved sleeping at St. James. We did not solve their poverty. But they preferred sleeping in our building because our hosts were kind, showed simple hospitality, and especially, because we learned their names. Imagine living a life in which you’re an issue instead of a person. While we’re at it, imagine a life in which sleeping on a stiff cot in a church basement is your best option.
One of our baptismal promises is to respect the dignity of every human being. In this harsh winter season may we all find ways to personally demonstrate that respect, especially to “all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget,” as one of the collects in our prayer book says. Even a small gesture of respect or compassion can mean a whole lot, even if it doesn’t seem to solve much.
