Kuyper provides a Biblical answer to poverty; a nuanced position to include the collective and the individual. Poverty is neither new, nor always a result of sin, but it must be addressed by the compassionate Christian.
Jesus flattered no one, neither rich nor poor, but put both in their place. With our men of influence you generally find either scorn for the poor and flattery of the rich, or abuse of the rich and flattery of the poor.
As conservatives, we know that charity, if emptied of free will, is emptied of love. And Edmund Burke, the Father of Conservatism, understood this well.
While making less money could make one more happy, ultimate happiness and peace come only through Jesus Christ. As Christians, we understand why happiness does not come from materialism.
Sin and error have joined forces to compound man's misery; increasing poverty and suffering. Thus, only when man is free from sin and error may such suffering be entirely vanquished.
Empowering people to become the humans that God has designed them to be is the most effective way to alleviate poverty.
Situations, like people, come in all shapes and sizes and are complex. We must realize the difficulty and complexity of poverty. Like a doctor, we must diagnose and prescribe the correctly so we don’t end up harming people.
Does poverty in and of itself have moral bearings and is it God-honoring to justify sin, make excuses, and not call sin, sin? What are our responsibilities?
