In my first essay in this series about the church and the working poor, I briefly explained why I believe that the needs of the working poor are issues that the church must consider if the church is going to be just. In my second essay, I compared and contrasted the biblical ideal for work and the working life of someone who is classified as working poor. I now want to build on this to ask a question: Why is the church responsible to stand alongside the working poor? I will propose four reasons. First, the church is made up of disciples of Jesus Christ. Second, there are clear biblical imperatives to ensure the needs of employed people are met and that their rights are defended. Third, everyone has dignity before God. Fourth, the church must address its own complicity and complacency in this issue.
To begin, the church is responsible to stand with the working poor because the each member of the church is a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is my contention that being a disciple leads to an outpouring of love over all people in economic need, including the working poor. Ideas from two pairs of writers lead me to this conclusion. First, R. Paul Stevens and Michael Green define disciples as people who are both friends of and partners with Jesus and thereby are active participants in the liberation and empowerment that He offers. Second, Glen Stassen and David Gushee identify disciples as people whose lives are shaped by their belief in the story of Jesus Christ. The church’s motivation is not to make itself worthy of the title disciple. Being a disciple is instead step one in a process to “reorient” a Christian’s life.
When we understand discipleship as a friendship and partnership with Jesus - who is the church's leader, teacher, and head - that reorients our entire lives, we must acknowledge that this has an impact on our the economic lives of the church and individual Christians. It is important for the church to see its economic ideals and stewardship as something that must emulate Jesus. Stassen and Gushee remind us that generosity is not sufficient for a disciple of Christ. We must acknowledge and follow the biblical command to stand in solidarity with the working poor. A couple of passages highlight this obligation of the church. In James’s letter, the writer calls out the rich. He doesn’t simply tell the rich to minister to the destitute, however. Duane Warden points out that James is concerned with the need for “justice and equity” among people who have jobs and, presumably, income. Look at 5:1-4, which refers to weeping people. These people cry not because they have no work, but instead because “the wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Almighty.” A second important passage to consider is found in the prophecy of Amos. In chapter 5:11, Amos calls on Israel to repent for – among other things – oppressing the poor. He doesn’t simply criticize people who ignore the poor, but instead criticizes people who exploit workers with unfair taxation in order to make gains for themselves. Those who are guilty of this exploitation will not be able to enjoy their ill-gained fruit.
I hope that it is obvious that such exploitation of workers is sin. The church is the bearer of God’s Good News and should therefore be concerned about such exploitation. Part of the Good News that the church delivers is that everyone – regardless of job or income – has dignity before God. Such dignity comes from being a person who is created. The idea of creation is important. Carol Haywood points out God provides His creation with both freedom and His image. This demonstrates that people are valuable. Hollinger explains that being made in God’s image is the foundation for God’s command to respect people. Look at the words God uses about His image:
· Genesis 9:6 forbids assault and murder because people are “in his own image.”
· James 3:9 points out the hypocrisy of speaking to bless God and then speaking to curse the people made in his image.
· Genesis 1:31 recalls that God said people are “very good.”
· Galatians 2:6 forbids showing favouritism.
· Psalm 8:4 praises God for being “mindful” of people.
If the church believes that people have dignity before God – and it is inexcusable if the church does not believe so – then the church must not tolerate anything that will allow for the exploitation of a working person.
This becomes a little awkward with my final point because it highlights potential sin of the church as an institution and by individual members (including myself). If the church is indeed going to stand with the working poor, we must confess our own culpability in taking advantage of systems that allow for a working poor class. This means that churches with monetary wealth need to evaluate how effective they are as stewards of God’s creation. (I have no doubts that wealthy people and wealthy churches can be and are effective stewards.) Churches must also acknowledge that personal greed is not only problematic in spiritual aspects of a person’s life, but also in the way people relate with and impact poor neighbours. Stassen and Gushee rightly claim that greed is dangerous. It allows a person to miss seeing his or her neighbour in need and miss seeing his or her responsibility to serve. The church needs to understand the consequences that our spending habits have for the working poor. Department store and dollar store low-prices often are the result not only of sweatshops elsewhere, but also a result of the poor wages paid to many of the front-line customer service personnel who stand behind the counter or help find merchandise. This is as true when someone is buying a DVD rated R “for violence and sexual content” as it is when buying crayons for Vacation Bible School and Frisbees for youth ministry. Tony Campolo rhetorically asks whether Christians should now “state loud and clear that we are willing to buy less in order that justice for the oppressed workers can become increasingly possible?”
My next essay – the final in this series – will propose potential ministry opportunities for the church.
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