There’s this big,
beautiful house that we pass by when we take a shortcut through one of the
subdivisions here in the south. One time, I was driving and one of my
passengers said out loud, “Malamang smuggler o drug lord ang nakatira dyan.” (Probably a smuggler or a drug lord lives
there.)
I feel bad for whoever
owns that property because I know at least one person who passed judgement on
them. What if they are actually honest business people? What if they work
really hard for what they have now?
During the second
installment of our Feast financial literacy series, Money Pakyaw, Bro Yo
Martinez’s talk on Prosperity touched on a negative trait most Filipinos have: “the
poverty mindset.”
Because of this character
flaw, Pinoys think that it is God’s will for them to be poor. And that to even
desire to become rich is wrong. Their favorite bible passage is Matthew 5:3… Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven.
These people will often
use their poverty as an excuse for all sorts of things --- for rude behavior
(like judging others), for allowing life’s opportunities to pass them by, for
not being a blessing to others, for escaping responsibilities, even for
breaking the law.
The truth is that poverty
is something to strive to get out of. Think of it like a hurdle or as a
challenge that must be overcome.
It’s sad when people
give up against poverty. It’s as if they already see it as a way of life.
What’s worse is when people who choose to be poor band together to bash those
who are well off.
Yes, Jesus came to
give relief to the poor, the sick, and the less fortunate. But I’m certain that
He didn’t want them begging, being chronically sick, or just settling for crumbs
for the rest of their lives, which is what the poverty mindset eventually leads
one to.
We are tasked to make
our lives better. To use our talents to bless others is one of the best ways to
show our appreciation to God.
When Our Lord healed
the crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda, He told him, “Rise, take up your mat,
and walk.” In my mind, that once-disabled man was healed so that he could in
turn, start helping others. He was healed so that he could find decent work. He
was healed so that he could join Jesus’ ministry.
We should remember
that while God’s plan is for us to have abundant lives, our blessings should
ultimately be used to bless others.
