Every Christian has the Responsibility to Build Relationship with the Materially Poor- by Laura Burr
Preface by Amy Rasmussen:
It was a joy to work with Laura this past year as she interned with Garden 58. She studied, served, & prayed faithfully for the people involved in our programs. When she told me the subject of her senior thesis, I was moved by the boldness of the title, “Every Christian has the responsibility to build relationship with the materially poor.” It is absolutely true, but rarely stressed as a universal responsibility for all Christians, so it hit me hard in the best possible way! It has been said, “We are wounded in relationship, & we are healed in relationship.”
Laura points to Christ as our example & shares some Scriptures that I hope you will take time to meditate upon. God’s example & instruction both beckon us out of our comfort zones into relationship with others in need, which in turn reveals in new way our own need, bringing humility & the opportunity for all of us to grow!
The Reality, Roots, & Results of poverty
On a single night in January 2023, 654,104 people were recorded homeless in America. “The official poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5 percent of the American population, with 37.9 million people in poverty.” (Census.gov. Sep 12, 2023). Over 9 million children live in poverty in the United States alone. (United Way. Oct 15, 2024). It doesn't take much effort to see the devastating results of poverty all around us. Murphy, NC has a poverty rate of 21.46%. Meaning that out of 1,674 people in Murphy NC, 345 people are currently living in poverty. (world population review). These numbers and statistics can be discouraging, however by the power of the Holy Spirit and guidance from the Father you can make a difference.
My thesis states that, “Every Christian Has The Responsibility To Establish Relationship With The Materially Poor.” In this proposal, material poverty will be defined as “The state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs.” (Source: Britannica 2022).
When examining poverty and how to engage in helping the materially poor, it is necessary to understand the cause of poverty. To do this we must start at the very beginning of a person’s life. Childhood is a period of life where the brain is developing the most. Children are learning what their needs are and how to get them met. They are learning what is theirs and how to take responsibility for it. When they grow up in a safe, nurturing home that encourages growth and proper development they are well-equipped to support themselves and to become an active participant in society.
On the contrary, children who grow up in physically, sexually or emotionally and verbally abusive homes do not develop their executive skills successfully. Unfortunately those who experience abuse or neglect as a child are more prone to experience poverty in the future, and those in poverty experience trauma. Childhood trauma damages brain development. The first part of the brain to develop is the midbrain. The midbrain’s job is to regulate basic functions of the mind and body. The last section of the brain to develop are the frontal lobes. This section is in charge of the human executive functions. These functions include, “self-restraint, working memory, emotion control, focus, task initiation, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, defining and achieving goals, flexibility, observation, and stress tolerance.” (Novella Prep).
When childhood trauma occurs the brain struggles to develop its frontal lobes and in turn, executive functions. When individuals' brains have not developed the ability to initiate, manage time, prioritize goals, and initiate tasks, it can become increasingly hard to obtain and maintain a job. It can create difficulty in establishing healthy relationships. This can result in contributing to a cycle of poverty from a very young age. Children who grow up in poverty are also exposed to the trauma that poverty itself causes.
The most effective way to aid and be generous to any person experiencing material poverty is through relationships.
As children enter into adulthood, oftentimes the result of trauma and stunted brain development contribute to living in a cycle of poverty that can only be healed through relationships. Culture in many ways has addressed the problem of poverty by approaching it through a material lens. This perspective actually enables and encourages poverty to continue in the individual's life. The Bible is full of commands to be generous to the poor. Proverbs 19:17, Deuteronomy 15:11, Galatians 2:10, Acts 20:35, Proverbs 28:27, to name a few. But it is necessary to change our perspective from financially engaging the issues to giving of our time, connections, relationship and love.
I once had the privilege to give a lady who lived at Murphy's local homeless shelter rides to work. She had never expected to live in a homeless shelter or need help commuting to work. I’d like you to put yourself in her shoes for a moment. Imagine you are an educated individual with a successful career and stable job. One day your car breaks down and can’t be repaired. You can't make it to your job because you have no transportation and you have no community to call on for help. Your life slowly starts to spiral out of control. Rent cannot be paid, groceries cannot be purchased and you end up in a homeless shelter for the next year and a half.
Now imagine the same life circumstance but you have a supportive community surrounding you. Instead of not being able to make your commute to work you have multiple people transporting you while you save up for a new car. You have relationships with people who come along beside you and walk with you as you climb the ladder back to stability.
If we look at the life of Jesus we see his emphasis on relationships. Jesus said himself that poverty will never be completely remedied, but we are never given the option to only donate our financial resources. There is something greater here at stake, Love. The core of any successful relationship is love. Proverbs 17:17-18, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.” Meaning: No matter what, love others—that's the core of any solid relationship. Showing love and support to one another, especially people who have experienced abuse and trauma, is vital for relationships and recovery from material poverty.
What is love? The most well known example of love in the bible is 1st Corinthians 13, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”
Bessel Van Der Kolk says in his book, The Body Keeps The Score, “Numerous studies of disaster response around the globe have shown that social support is the most powerful protection against becoming overwhelmed with stress and trauma.” He goes on to say that, “Social support is not the same as merely being in the presence of others. The critical issue is reciprocity: being truly heard and seen by the people around us, feeling that we are held in someone else's mind and heart. For our physiology to calm down, heal, and grow we need a visceral feeling of safety. No doctor can write a prescription for friendship and love: These are complex and hard-earned capacities. You don't need a history of trauma to feel self conscious and even panicked at a party of strangers- but trauma can turn the whole world into a gathering of aliens.”
Oftentimes, people who have experienced trauma surround themselves with people who share the same experiences as them. “Many traumatized people find themselves chronically out of sync with the people around them. Some find comfort in groups where they can replay their combat experiences, rape, or torture with others who have similar backgrounds or experiences. Focusing on a shared history of trauma and victimization alleviates their searing sense of isolation (...)” (The Body Keeps The Score). This can keep people in a cycle of material poverty confined to social groups in the same situation as them, thus alienating them further from relationships that can foster healing and growth.
Everyone has something to give!
One thing that can help us grow as a community and foster relationships with those on the fringes of our communities is by remembering that everyone has something to give, no matter their financial situation. Healthy relationships are built on way more than just resources, but on the contrary they’re built on time, presence, honesty, and care. Despite common misconceptions, those who are materially poor can contribute to relationships and communities in meaningful ways. They may not have money to give, but they can share their experiences, offer emotional support, or simply be there for someone else. These contributions are just as valuable as financial ones.
When you recognize this and open yourself up to receive the ways those you serve offer their skills, time, and care, the relationship begins to thrive. It’s important to shift your perspective—from trying to "save" the materially poor to building a mutual relationship where both sides contribute and uplift each other with what they have to give.
Communities and relationships don’t thrive just because of wealth—they grow strong because people who show up for one another. A conversation, a laugh, or a helping hand can have a real impact. These actions are what build trust and value to a person and community. When we finally recognize that everyone has something to give, we create a more inclusive and supportive space where people feel seen and valued. Through this those who have been overlooked feel like they belong and have something to offer and support the community no matter how small. It also eliminates any sense of pride or ego when we serve the overlooked. It's important to remember that resources don't determine value. Look at everyone as Christ would.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of small contributions, especially when the world puts so much focus on money and status. But relationships and community aren’t built on those things. They’re built on people being willing to show up for each other, to share what they have, and to be real. That’s what makes a strong, healthy community—everyone having a place and a purpose, no matter their material situation.
One common misconception that many Christ followers may argue is that monetary donations to the poor is more than enough contribution to their well-being. However when we think of a holistic approach to serving and loving those around us, let's remember how Jesus serves and loves us. He doesn't just give us resources but He is intentionally involved in our lives. He wants a relationship with us and gave up his life so that He could be in a relationship with us forever. That's how serious He is about his love and commitment to us. How amazing would it be if we could do the same thing for those around us?
I would challenge all of us to sacrifice what we value most in our lives for those who Jesus called us to serve. Sacrifice and share of our time, energy, commitment, love and relationship. These things mean so much more than money.
Another point I'd like to touch on is the concept of a Christian and how that relates to my thesis. What is the mission of a Christian’s life? In the words of St. Francis, “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” Christians, more than anyone else, have a special calling to bring holistic healing and to do so through relationships. When questioning how to have a healthy relationship all we have to do is look to the Trinity. The Trinity is a beautiful example of holy relationship. As followers of Christ we subscribe to a faith that is founded on relationship and healing since the very beginning.
Compelled to Respond
Something that can be very hard in these scenarios is knowing where to get plugged into help. One thing I want to put emphasis on is the importance of getting involved with local organizations or groups who are already doing this important work. It can feel overwhelming when you are doing this work on your own, but it can be as simple as getting plugged in with an organization that’s already helping. If you wish to get involved with local organizations already helping the underserved in our communities please let me know and I can get you connected.
In closing let us remember the way Christ lived his life. The bravest and most beautiful road we can take in life is to examine the life of Jesus with the mindset of changing ours to look like His. It is a beautiful and dangerous thing to let go of all expectations and look at Christ for who He is. Let's let go of all labels and pre-constructed beliefs and acknowledge the truth of His character and life as it is. And in turn let this truth change how we live and love those around us.
Until the coming of the King, poverty and trauma will always be with us, but what a beautiful thing it is to acknowledge that reality and in the same turn fight with the Trinity to end all suffering. We can walk with Christ and with the least of these. We have the opportunity to make those who have no one else feel seen and valued, not for what they have, but for their value in Christ. I pray that the Father will give us His heart for those that are on the fringes and overlooked.
My hope is that this thesis will bring an acute awareness to the causes, challenges, and reality of material poverty. Furthermore, I hope that in turn this has provided practical direction on how to support this community through relationships. I believe that bringing light to the deeper causes and effects of material poverty can result in a movement of action on behalf of the issue at hand in our area. I hope that all of our concern is heightened and that we will be compelled to respond to our newfound knowledge through love and relationship. If you'd like tangible resources to get involved in our community and establish relationships with the overlooked please reach out to me and I'd love to get you connected with local organizations helping the materially poor. I believe that together we can bring the kingdom of God to earth through loving His people. Thank you!
Works Cited
Fay, Bill. “Poverty in the United States.” Debt.org, 21 Dec. 2023, www.debt.org/faqs/americans-in-debt/poverty-united-states/.
Solomon. Holy Bible. [S.I.], Zondervan, 2008.
UCL. “Children in Poverty at Greater Risk of Childhood Traumas.” UCL News, 9 July 2020, www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/jul/children-poverty-greater-risk-childhood-traumas.
van der Kolk, Bessel. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. London, Penguin Books, 25 Sept. 2014.
“What Are the 12 Executive Functioning Skills?” Novella Prep, novellaprep.com/faqs/what-are-the-12-executive-functioning-skills/.
Townsend, John. Boundaries. [S.I.], Zondervan, 2009.
Poverty without Hurting the Poor ... And Yourself. Chicago Moody Publishers, 2014.