The Poor

    Those of us who have enough food, clothing, shelter, and health care are not poor.  Most of us have had a family that cared for and supported us.  As adults, we have been able to care for and support ourselves and our children.  We often take pride in our ability to work and pay our own bills without help from government programs.
     This pride can lead us to blame the poor for causing their own financial woes.  We feel they have shirked their responsibility to work and provide the basic needs for themselves and their families.  We may feel that continuing to give to the poor only perpetuates their dependence on government assistance.
     Many factors have combined to keep us independent:
1.  Born into a household whose income provided the basic necessities
2.  Raised respecting the values of hard work, responsibility, and independence
3.  Receiving an education to equip us for employment
4.  Getting and keeping a job
5.  Receiving sufficient preventative health care and medical attention so we can remain healthy and continue working and caring for our family.
     The absence of just one of these factors may place us in the company of the poor.  We can not take all the credit for our financial situation, nor should we blame others who don't have what they need.  Our pride may tell us that we need to withhold help in order to teach the poor a lesson.  We are the ones who need to learn a lesson, to try to understand and help each other.