I've Been Thinking

Recently,  in an interview with the Washington Post, Governor Rick Perry of Texas suggested that the Bible proves the inevitability of poverty. “’Biblically, the poor are always going to be with us in some form or fashion,’ Perry told the Post.”

While Perry could have been referring to several passages, I’m betting that he wasn’t referring to Deuteronomy 15:11, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’” The passage commands the Hebrew people to be generous toward the “poor and needy neighbor in your land,” as opposed to showing the callous indifference shown by Perry and his ilk.

In fact, when taken in its entirety, as opposed to cherry picking a verse – such as, Matthew 26:11, Mark 14:7 or John 12:8 – the teaching of the both the Old and New Testaments is contradictory to the Governor’s callous indifference. I’m sure the Governor is completely unaware of Leviticus chapter 25, the Jubilee. Perhaps he is even unaware of Acts 2:44-47.  Neither Jesus, himself, nor the fledgling, early church acted as if his statement, “you always have the poor with you,” were a command to callous indifference.

In the Salon article the governor concedes that economic gains in his state have accrued, primarily, “to the state’s wealthiest residents.” He did  not, however, see this as an issue, saying, “We don’t grapple with that here,”

Clearly the governor is not one who “hungers and thirsts for righteousness,” as did Jesus of Nazareth.

Here’s a link to another good post at Patheos.com that expands on these thoughts.