In the Sermon on the Mount, especially in Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus promises his disciples that God knows and cares for his people.
He points out that if the birds of the air and the flowers of the field have their needs met, then how much more will God do for us?
He sums it up by saying, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matthew 6:33).
But what if we have tried to honor God with our lives, and we’re still in poverty?
It’s incredibly stressful to be poor, and it’s made worse when we feel like God has failed us (or maybe that we’ve failed God).
I’ve never been in poverty, but I did live on a campus ministry salary for many years, and I felt the tightness of managing every dollar in my budget.
What’s even harder to understand is how others live in big houses, drive fancy cars, and buy whatever they want. Why does God allow some Christians - and even unbelievers - to prosper while his people suffer?
Have you ever asked these questions:
- Has God broken his promises?
- Do I lack faith?
- Am I misunderstanding the BIble?
- Do I need to tithe more?
- Is hidden sin keeping me from God’s blessings?
- Do I need to pray more, or harder?
- Should I fast?
Sometimes, preachers will sermonize on these messages, burying us in shame and guilt, so they can manipulate us to give even more sacrificially to the church.
Why? So the preacher can benefit from our suffering. They want their congregation to suffer so they can live in abundance.
Let’s look at it honestly: that’s wrong, abusive, and offensive to God. Shepherds should lay their lives down for the sheep, not take advantage of them.
To put it plainly, I think we’re being lied to and probably manipulated when someone promises that our suffering will end if we have enough faith or do certain religious things.
So, how do we make sense of this?
First, we must understand a critical principle: No matter how much faith or faithfulness you or I have, we will not end sin, suffering, and poverty.
Look at the past two millennia since Jesus rose from the dead. Has there ever been an end to poverty anywhere? No. Wars? They keep going.
Think about it from an objective point of view. Even if our faith does reduce some suffering, everyone will eventually die.
Understanding this does not mean we are doubting God.
It does mean we are looking at the facts. And that honors God!
Second, that doesn’t mean we give up hope.
Faithful Christians and obedient churches have done enormous good in the world: establishing schools, hospitals, and social services; adopting orphans; running job training programs; the list goes on and on.
Our faith can and should make a difference in the world. As James taught us,
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?
In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself (James 2:14-17)
Some want to debate the theology of this verse in regards to justification, but that misses the point. James points out, as Jesus did, that a faith that doesn’t lead us to love our neighbor is worthless.
So, should our faith help us trust God enough to love our neighbors, even when it is hard? Yes, and amen.
The courageous faithfulness of God’s people glorifies God.
In other words, our faith in God will end or reduce some poverty, some suffering, and some evil.
Third, we need to understand what Jesus actually said.
As Dr. Craig Blomberg summarizes,
"Worry” is the key word of this entire section, since it occurs six times (vv. 25,27-28, 31, 34 [2x])…Christians must plan for the future, but they need not be anxious. Jesus illustrates his point by discussing the basic provisions of food and clothing (New American Commentary).
Jesus was speaking, in part, to subsistence farmers in Israel. They knew hunger. They had survived drought. They had lost children to unexplainable diseases. Their lives were not considered valuable by the Roman soldiers.
Jesus was not offering them fame and fortune. He was saying that during the struggles to get food and clothing, bring your anxiety to God.
In other words, Jesus’ teaching means, ‘Go through the struggles knowing God is with you and cares for you.’
No one would have thought that Jesus was promising these poor farmers a luxury cruise around the world. He was referencing the simple, basic provisions of life that are provided to birds and flowers.
Fourth, look at the example of Jesus and his disciples.
Did Jesus have faith? Yes. Did Jesus have faithfulness? Yes.
Did Jesus suffer and die? Yes again.
The crucifixion is the end of prosperity theology.
I remember when I quit RZIM to protest the lies and bullying. So many people told me, “God will reward you for this.” I knew they meant well, but I I didn’t think the Bible taught that, and I didn’t believe them.
Sometimes, God’s people do the right thing, and there’s no reward. As someone once said, “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Look at Hebrews 11:32-38,
And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
This is heroic faithfulness—and costly suffering.
The Biblical narrative contradicts the prosperity message, which teaches that heroic faithfulness will lead to abundant blessings.
Sometimes that happens; we can be grateful when it does. No one wants to be in poverty or suffer for no good reason. But there is no magic formula.
Sometimes we’re faithful, and our lives get better. Other times, we’re faithful, and our circumstances stay the same, or get worse.
Fifth and finally, decide to be faithful anyway.
Jesus tells us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”
Who or what is worthy of our lives?
If you live for money, it’s a dead end.
(Though, if you live without regard for money, you might have a more difficult life than if you gain financial wisdom. The faithful stewardship of our economic resources is one way to honor God. And it’s a complex topic - for instance, government corruption can prevent the hardest-working people from doing better).
We have to ask ourselves: is Jesus who he said he was?
If he is God, the Risen Lord, who gave his life for us, then it is rational, wise, good, and important that we put the kingdom of God first.
In doing so, we trust that God will take care of us - the basics - bread and something to wear - until he brings us home to be with him forever.
Jesus challenged the rich young ruler to give his wealth to the poor. The man loved his money more than he loved Jesus, and he walked away spiritually bankrupt.
Conversely, Jesus sought a poor woman act with sacrificial generosity, and he praised the purity of her devotion to God. (Don’t let people use this verse to exploit you, but don’t miss the beauty of her example, either).
So what are we to do?
If you’re poor, that’s hard. Harder than I can express.
If you can get out of poverty, do so. If you must endure it, at least you have something to help you get through it: reliance on God.
Our society will value you based on your income, but God won’t. Jesus died for you - not so you could give to him, but because he loves you.
You can ask God to help you stay faithful to him, to meet your needs, and to improve your circumstances.
But what if you have enough?
Again, our society will value you based on your income, but God won’t. Jesus died for you - not so you could give to him, but because he loves you.
You can be generous to others because your identity isn’t in wealth.
Jesus doesn’t promise to make us rich, but he promises something far better - his presence, care, and eternal kingdom. While we should absolutely work to end poverty and help those in need, we must remember that our ultimate hope isn’t in material prosperity but in the God who walks with us through every circumstance.
Ultimately, the question isn’t “Why hasn’t God made me prosperous?” but rather, “How can I faithfully serve God’s kingdom in my current circumstances?”
Whether Christianity is true or not, poverty is a reality. Just read the news or look around. It’s an ongoing problem.
That’s what’s so unique about Jesus. He sees and cares for us, and knowing he is looking out for us (when no one else is) gives us comfort, hope, and purpose.