Where does fighting poverty start?

On two occasions yesterday, conversations with Congolese colleagues touched on a dilemma for the development of Congo. Most people are desperately poor. They focus primarily on short-term gains. Typically they develop individual strategies that employ old and inefficient production technologies, that create artificial barriers to economic activity in order to extract fees (corruption) and that rely on limited and often faulty information. These strategies increase economy-wide costs and impose risks on long-term investments in more efficient and more profitable activities. Improved productivity is necessary for reducing poverty yet poor people choose strategies that undermine advances in productivity.

If Jesus looked out on this crowd of bewildered, hungry people how would he break the circle? Would he multiply resources to feed them? Would he teach about repentance and a Spirit-directed life that inspires us, motivates us and changes the way we live together? Would he blast spiritual leaders for failure to communicate the heart, the will of God?

Probably all three. Because he had a long-term perspective, an unshakable point of reference, God's description of the Kingdom. He preached to crowds but invested most of his limited time in teaching a few hundred people at most. He doesn't seemed to have worried much about how the nations would be reached. Sure of God's plan, he was free to focus on living Kingdom life -- embodying God's creative, healing and nurturing purpose, teaching about God's character and plan, appealing to people to be a part of it all -- in very concrete circumstances.

Fighting poverty starts where we are, using the resources that we have. In Christ we are free to live according to Kingdom standards. We can sacrifice short-term gain for a long-term vision of sufficiency and sustainability. We strive to adopt more efficient ways of doing things because by doing so we become better stewards of God's creation and honor Him. Sufficiency frees us from the tyranny of want and reflects God's provision, demonstrates God's goodness. We share the Gospel of Christ because we are certain that real life, satisfaction and goodness are found only in a profound relationship with God.

That's why I strive to help Lusekele become a place where God's character is embodied and purpose is pursued. Poverty is not our destiny in the Kingdom. Sufficiency is. Meaningful occupation for every person is. A time for rest and enjoyment is. In an agricultural region like the central Kwilu, these depend on finding the best adapted crop varieties, the most productive farming techniques, the best soil conserving techniques, efficient processing technologies, good transport infrastructure, fair trade relations, security, government that creates conditions for innovation and enterprise . . . As Christians we know the values that contribute to this future and we understand the obligation to re-form our world according to God's values. And we know that our faithfulness will bless even those who never share our relationship with God -- to His glory.

Ed