Stuck

I ran into a neighbor I hadn't seen in awhile today.

As he told me about life, a theme kept popping up.

In his story, he was the object of every sentence. Never the subject. Life is done to him . . . or against him. He does nothing by his own free will.

Two and a half years ago, the Department of Children and Families came to check on his two sons. They asked him questions. Every answer lead to him looking bad. DCF dug him in a hole and if he tried to answer it only got worse. They took the kids.

Two years ago, the police came with questions. They told him of accusations and words from other people. They arrested him while admitting to him the accusations were probably lies, but protocol had to be followed.

The public defender was distracted, disinterested, and presumed his guilt. A trial was a foregone conclusion, if anything the lawyer got him more time in jail rather than less.

The county released him a couple months ago.

I asked if he is allowed to try to get his kids back: "I can try, but they aren't going to listen to me."

* * *

When the World Bank interviewed over 60,000 people worldwide about what it means to be in poverty, they mentioned a lack of material things. They mentioned a lack of food. They mentioned unemployment. But, more than that, the poor described poverty in terms of hopelessness, voicelessness, and isolation.

To be poor is to be stuck. To be poor is to be powerless. To be poor is to be left out.

My neighbor feels this. He feels stuck. He's the object of the actions of others.

And honestly, if you were in his shoes, would you feel any different?

So, what do we do? 

1. Don't increase feelings of powerlessness. I would argue much of domestic and international "services" to the poor, only serve to reinforce this message. They teach, "Let us do this for you . . . (because you can't)." This creates poverty, not alleviates it.

2. Preach pull yourself up by your bootstraps even if you don't believe it. I know a lot of statistics. I don't share those with the kids. You know what I tell them? "Try hard!" "You can do it!" "You are a leader for your community!" This mindset is only possible if I . . .

3. Remember Sovereignty is bigger than poverty. Jesus is King. Jesus is on his throne. Jesus can do anything. Jesus loves my neighborhood more than I ever will.

He's not just the boss, he's the King. And the King always gets his way.