If God is a just and merciful God, as we are told to believe in most major religions, why does He allow hunger to be the number one cause of death in the world? If He is all powerful, why allow sickness, disease, famine, death, loss and hopelessness to cover the face of the earth? We are told of a Creator who made man in His image; unfortunately, it seems as if some are more favored than others when it comes to creation. Does God truly love the poor if He allows them to starve to death?
According to UNICEF, nearly 22 thousand children die each day due to poverty: And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
How could a loving God allow 1 billion out of the 2.2 billion children worldwide to live in poverty? Why do 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water? Why does starvation kill more people than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined?
As a Christian, I was raised to believe that God loved all of His creation. I grew up hearing about Jesus, who came in the likeness of the lowly. My church leaders emphasized helping all those in need. My parents taught me to treat others as I would like to be treated. My bible showed me a Savior, born to a carpenter and a teen mom, who hung out with fishermen, tax collectors, and prostitutes. I read stories of Him healing the sick, raising the dead, and feeding the poor...
Yet, none of what I was taught could answer all of my "Why" questions:
"Why does poverty exist in the first place?"
"Why is my plate full, while billions starve?"
"Why is there the gap between the rich and poor when we are all equal in the eyes of God?"
"Why does God allow this to happen?"
I found myself blaming God, I was angry when I saw poverty for the first time. Many believers will say that the moment sin entered the universe was the moment mankind was stricken by need. Whether it be spiritual, emotional, or physical poverty, we all experience a state of lacking; however, Romans 8:38-39 states:
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My plate is full, while billions starve, by mere chance. We cannot help the environments we are born into, but we can determine how we will use our resources to help those in need. Since the gap between the rich and the poor is a reflection of inequality, we must find ways to mend the gap instead of extending it.
We must not have the mindset of "Why does God allow this to happen?" But rather, "How will God use me to serve my neighbor?" "What is my responsibility in battling poverty as someone who has their needs met?" If our hearts break when we see injustice, it is because we have been made in the image of a just God, our distress is a small glimpse of the heartbreak our Creator experiences.
James 2:15-18 states:
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
We are called to serve others, for it is the only form of faith that lives.
