I have long held the belief that the religious Prosperity teaching began the collapse of the American economy, and I still do, but I now have some insight as to why the economy is not recovering. To claim the love of money was a blessing rather than the root of all evil began the economic collapse, but we've overlooked the Biblical truth of reaping and sowing when it comes to finances.
How much of our earned income goes to keeping someone living beyond their means? In modern vernacular, that amounts to throwing good money after bad. It defies the laws of reaping and sowing. Helping someone in time of need is absolutely Scriptural, but we have a society of needy than choose to remain needy, and that's against Scripture. A man or woman can get laid off or injured and need temporary assistance. Things happen, but when an adult perpetually does not provide for their family, either by not working or by unwise spending, and continual provision is "needed" for that family, not only is that family investing in remaining impoverished, but those providing are sowing into that lifestyle, as well.
Surely by now, most folks sending money to Prosperity preachers realize they are never going to reap the financial harvest, these preachers are enjoying. I guess, some still haven't caught on, or the next generation of "young up and comers" have changed their schtick slightly, but there is still a reality. Assisting someone to live above their means will not raise the standard of living for all involved. It will actually lower it for those who are in error and those who appear to be reaping a harvest may discover the cost has been their soul. These ministers do not need multi-million dollar mansions and private jets. Y'hshuwah said he had no place to lay his head and he pretty much walked everywhere he went, although there was the occasional boat or donkey.
Another way our society invests in poverty is politically, through state assistance. Helping someone temporarily is absolutely the right thing to do. Keeping someone dependent is wrong, and subsidising someone to live without working to earn is rebellion against Scripture. Adult human beings are supposed to work, adult human beings that make little human beings are not only expected to work, but also expected to provide for the little human beings they made. Since marriage has become rather passe, our society has taught men that providing for their children is optional especially if they cohabitate with baby mama and keep everything out of court. On the other hand, many women have determined that a child brings them an income and even education opportunities with childcare provided. We can look back over fifty years and see what this type of thinking has produced generationally. Like it or not, this type of poverty is purely political. Dependency and slavery go hand in hand.
We also have a number of people investing in the poverty of the next generation. I've seen it happen for far too long now, grandmas that take up the cause that their grandchildren shouldn't suffer or do without because the parents are being unwise. Sad as it is, that children pay for the foolishness of adults, it is a fact of life. Helping adult children in an emergency, is of course, what a parent should do, enabling is another matter, altogether. We don't even realize how many non-necessities our society now considers to be necessary.
So much of our society runs on debt that we no longer live even paycheck to paycheck. Many in our culture are living one paycheck behind, because next week's check is already spent before it's earned . . . People actually manage or mismanage their money, knowing they have other sources to turn to. Let's consider the high dollar prosperity teachers and the wealthy politicians, and corporate fatcats. They do not invest in poverty! They invest our donations, taxes, and purchases into something that will yield a financial harvest. I'm not suggesting that is Biblically correct, either, just drawing the parallel of money management. Now, on to Scriptural investing.
We are commanded to help widows and orphans. YHWH blesses obedience. Prosperity teachers, most welfare moms, and campaigning politicians do not go in the category of widows or orphans. We are to visit those in prison. A number of prosperity teachers and politicians probably could qualify for that according to Scripture. The best way to help those who are not self-sufficient is to share and teach better money management. Debt is not the answer and continuing to subsidise poor choices is investing in poverty.
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