Why Are People Poor? How Can We Fix It?

Why are people poor? Perhaps you’re wondering why you are financially frustrated. How do “bad” people get ahead while the kind and honest often struggle? Why does God allow poverty? Wouldn’t a “loving” God put an end to poverty, lack, and financial misery? It seems that most of us have a predisposition that indicates God hasn’t done something about it.

I believe that God has done something about it. The ball is actually in our court.

Genesis 3:17-19 (CSB) And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

Poverty, lack, scarcity, and financial frustration were all introduced in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve invited chaos.

Why are people poor? People are poor because of scarcity, laziness, and greed. There are sufficient resources to care for all of humanity. Greed entices some to hoard and others to plunder. Fearless and lavish generosity would cure most of the financial misery that afflicts humanity.

Why Are People Poor? Is It Because of Ignorance?

Financial pundits often blame poverty on ignorance. It’s more complicated than that, though. Knowledge puffs up. Learning more and more facts rarely makes a difference.

College degrees are plentiful and yet families remain mired in financial mediocrity.

Most people know that using credit cards is risky. Carrying a balance month-to-month is expensive and yet people do it all of the time.

Credit card balances have eclipsed $1 trillion. Interest rates on credit cards exceed 20% and yet people continue to pay for sushi and sake over the course of years.

There are dozens of business and finance channels on cable, streaming, and on the internet. Hundreds of personal finance blogs and YouTube channels share knowledge every day.

Dave Ramsey, Crown Financial, Ron Blue and others have extensive libraries and courses designed to help people gain additional financial knowledge.

Yet, as of today, over a third of Americans have more credit card debt than savings (Santander Bank). Almost half of Americans can’t fund a $1,000 emergency with cash.

Perhaps more willpower is needed?

Why Are People Poor? Willpower?

Dave Ramsey famously says that personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% knowledge. I agree with him on this point. However, behavior is not the answer either.

Have you ever attempted to lose that last ten pounds? It’s not easy.

C.S. Lewis said, “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.”

When we muster up more willpower to overcome money messes we often fail. Why?

We’re fighting the wrong enemy. Certainly, we could all use additional knowledge and could tighten our spending habits but there’s more to it than that.

Scarcity, greed, and laziness entered the world during The Fall. Since that dreadful day, we’ve been fighting the effects of the fall.

Yes, we’re redeemed from the Curse of the Law but we must contend with the Effects of the Fall. Here’s an article I wrote about being Redeemed From The Curse Of The Law.

When we understand the true enemy is not ignorance or willpower we can move forward.

Why Are People Poor? Greed.

Ron Blue asks a great question. How much is enough?

Is it possible to uncover how much we truly need to live on and then commit to giving the rest away? How much one needs is a much more difficult question than it appears. That’s an article for a different day, though.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

I believe that Jesus lived on what He needed and gave the rest away. He essentially made Himself poor through His charity.

What if we began to give 20% or 25% or 50% of our income regularly? Could that make a difference in the lives of others? It certainly would be a great start.

Why Are People Poor? Laziness.

Timothy, in his epistle, clearly stated that if a person did not work then they should not eat. There are millions of lazy, gluttonous, lethargic people on earth.

Proverbs 13:4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

The Bible consistently contrasts laziness and diligence.

Laziness keeps many people in financial bondage.

The Effects Of The Fall

Scarcity was a result of The Fall. We all must make tradeoffs. Will we consume all of our resources or share with the less fortunate?

Laziness attempts to seduce us all. Will we fall for its siren song?

Greed is diabolical.

John Piper rails (somewhat) against the tithe. He’s persuaded that it’s a false ceiling for far too many wealthy Christians. Once their minimal legal requirement is met they consume the remainder. Could they give more generously and fearlessly? Probably, yes.

I invite you to talk to Jesus about His money. There’s nothing wrong with saving for retirement or putting aside money for a new roof or a vacation.

Submit to the grace of giving.

Jesus will not steer you wrong.