MISSING THE MARK AND NAIRA

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Bankole Olugbenga

Poverty is generally defined as a lack of access to sufficient economic resources to satisfy basic needs, including food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare. Sin can be described in terms of nature or action. Every man is born with a nature of sin (Psa 51:5, Rom 5:12), which pushes him to act sinfully (1 Jn 3:4).
In the beginning, when God created the first man and woman named Adam and Eve, He ensured they lacked nothing. God created everything they would need for daily living before he made them (Gen 1 and 2). In Christ Jesus, God has also given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3); he has graciously given us everything for our enjoyment (1 Tim 6:17). When we allow God to lead us by the Spirit, He will shepherd us so well that we will lack nothing (Psa 23:1).
After their creation, God simply disclosed to them their purpose for living. So their daily focus was on fulfilling their purpose (Gen 2:15). There is a path that God set for us before the beginning of time, which He wants us to discover and follow throughout our lives (Eph 2:10). They did not have to worry about meeting their basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. No wonder Jesus said that our focus should be on seeking the Kingdom of God first, not on what we will eat, wear, or where we will live (Matt 6:25-34). Our purpose in life is to play our part in ensuring that the will of God is done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10). The Kingdom of God is God’s way of doing things; it is God’s will. The inability to participate in kingdom building because of a “lack” is poverty indeed.
Poverty is a mindset of lack. Before Adam and Eve experienced a physical lack of resources, the devil sowed seeds of words in their hearts, causing them to start entertaining thoughts of lack. Their conversation with Satan sowed seeds of a poverty mindset amid plenty. The devil said they would be like gods if they ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil (Gen 3:5), which God forbade (Gen 2:16-17). Thus, despite their creation in God's image and likeness (Gen 1:26), the enemy instilled in them a sense of lacking something essential. They were already like gods; however, they believed the enemy and lost their place. It is our responsibility to guard our hearts with all diligence against the lies of the enemy. Every child of God bears the sole responsibility to maintain the word in their hearts, ensuring we do not sin or fall short. The word of God is our defence against every lie from the enemy. The word of God is light, and when it is established, darkness and lies have no place to rule.
Physical “lack” surfaced after God drove them out of Eden (Gen 3:23-24) because of their disobedience. Their sin caused them to be cut off from God's provision in Eden, forcing them to come into “lack” and worry about how they would meet their basic needs. So poverty can also be defined as a state of separation from God's provision. Such an outcome is not the will of God. The will of God is for us to have a rich and satisfying life devoid of toil (John 10:10 NLT)

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