Real Solutions to Poverty

(Proverbs 23:21 KJV)  For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Poverty is a topic that is used frequently to manipulate people today.  Politicians and social reformers work it regularly.  Most of them tend to be selling some kind of snake oil that will take care of the problem if we will just give them enough power or money.  They get more power, they use it, the problem gets worse.  We give more money, it gets spent and the problem gets worse.  Oppression and greed are issues.  They are one form of sin. 

There is another angle that the Bible brings up:  personal accountability.  In this verse three lifestyles lay the groundwork for “poverty” (3423).  None of them are the actions of oppressors or greedy capitalists.  They are the actions that each one of us is accountable for.  We have the “drunkard” (heavy drinker NASB) (5433a) and “glutton” (2151b).  We have the lazy person who gives in to “drowsiness” (5124).

So?  Most of us are not powerful enough to make a difference in the big picture of society but we can make a difference in how we live and the example we set.  Booze, food and naps.  Three very real issues we can deal with in our lives.  Consider, don’t ignore.