Reverse Outliers (Ben Fowler - May 20, 2020)

Observation, Perspiration or Inspiration: 

Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor but it is swept away by injustice.                                           -Proverbs. 13:23

During this quarantine, I have had a chance to read a lot more than usual. Something struck me as I read for the second time, one of my favorites. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell tries to debunk the myth that successful people are self made. He points out that it is most often random circumstance (luck), privilege, opportunity, plus hard work that brings success. All of these factors outside one's control, plus a little elbow grease must come into play. No one is self made. Inversely, the author of this proverb teaches us that the abundant food available for the needy is swept away by others' injustice. Just as rich men are not self made, neither are the poor.

Rarely are things as simple or 'black and white' as they seem. Yes, most of the world lives in poverty, but not because of their choices, or lack of the earth's ability to produce but because of injustice. The world's system seems to help some more than others.

Leonard Cohen's 'Tower of Song' poignantly alludes to this:

'Now you can say that I've grown bitter but of this you may be sure.

The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor.

And there's a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong.

You see, you hear these funny voices in the Tower of Song'

What we see and what God sees are not always the same thing. It is important for the Church to look a little deeper and try to see things as God sees them. Yes, poverty is often caused by one's choices but that is not always the case. The truth is, all of us have made bad choices but some have lesser consequences and more opportunities to rebound. The rich often have cushions to dampen their fall. The poor have welfare. The rich have parents who pay for their college, the poor have student loans. The rich know people at the top, the poor can't get an interview.

Prayer:

Lord, give us empathy, the ability to put ourselves in each other's shoes and withhold judgment until we have looked a little deeper. Let us be our brother's keeper and stretch our opportunities to those with thinner cushions than our own. Amen.

An Idea:

There is so much potential locked within the hearts of the less fortunate. There are businesses, churches, teachers, leaders, and scientists. As the Church and as individuals, let's do our best to help those in need with generosity and joy. Especially, during these tough times.