Spiritual Perspectives
Make Poverty History!

By Barbara Russell
Special to The Independent

I was very excited to see a feature article in the March 6, 2005 edition of TIME magazine called "The End of Poverty." This theme has come to my attention a couple of other times lately in an Oxfam brochure, and in an article about Nelson Mandela giving a "Make Poverty History" speech in London to the G7 Finance Ministers.

The end of poverty? In the TIME article, economist Jeffery D. Sachs outlines a plan that makes sense, and has written a book on the topic. In the article, he says he is not predicting what will happen, but explaining what can happen. He says that "Oxfam and many other leaders in civil society have embraced the goal" of cutting extreme poverty in half by 2015, and ending it by 2025. Can you imagine that? 2025 is only 20 years away! Let's take full advantage of this opportunity.

Mr. Sachs says the U.S. spends 15 cents of every $100 of our national income, "to address the plight of the poorest of the poor, whose societies are destabilized by extreme poverty." He suggests the U.S. could be more generous in addressing this root cause of many other problems.

This got me thinking what is the basis of generosity? In my study and practice of Christian Science, I have come to realize that the ability to be generous comes from knowing that I am always fully supplied with what I need, and therefore can afford to give to others. It is also very helpful to know that each person is fully supplied with what they need, because everyone's supply comes from the same source God.

There are many stories in the Bible that demonstrate that what we need is always available, supplied by God when we listen to Him. In the story of the loaves and fishes, when Jesus fed over 5,000 people with five loves and two fishes (Matthew 14), he seemed very matter-of-fact when he told his disciples "give ye them to eat." He had no doubt that the need would be met as, "looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude." Notice that he thanked God first, before it became apparent that these few loaves and fishes would feed the entire crowd. I also love the story about Elijah showing the widow that she and her son could not be without what they needed (1 Kings 17).

The thing that strikes me about these examples of God's supply is the trust that Jesus, and Elijah, and the widow, had in God's care. In human relationships, trust is built as we get to know the other person. Similarly, as I take time each day to get to know the Creator of my life and everyone else's life, I trust that He provides exactly what I and what everyone else needs each moment. I want people to know this, so they can experience it in their lives. So when someone on the street asks for spare change, I sometimes say "I don't give away money, but I give away ideas." If this piques their curiosity, I try to help them see that God is the source of their supply, and that He is always near with the ideas that they need to take the next step of progress. In the process of simply having a conversation with them, I give acknowledgement and encouragement. When they are not open to these ideas, I pray to see them as a person who is fully conscious of God's supply, because God is the source of their consciousness.

The Christian Science Group of Gallup conducts church services at NCI every Sunday. The people who attend seem to absorb the message that God is the source of healing, no matter what the condition. I ran into one of the attendees downtown the other day. He had completed his programs at NCI, so we had not seen him recently. As we talked, he mentioned several times that he was "doing ok," and that he now sometimes stayed at NCI for shelter, but not because of drinking. I was thrilled to see his pride in his progress. Another person I have gotten to know from NCI struggles daily with a strong urge to drink and with feelings of worthlessness and loneliness. The last time I saw him downtown, he described how his Higher Power had cared for and protected him on more than one occasion, and remembered some situations when his family had showed their care for him. I realized he was experiencing the fact that God and people do, in fact, care for him. I love to see this kind of growth and progress.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, wrote a hymn that I think of often. The first two lines are:

O gentle presence, peace and joy and power;

O, Life divine, that owns each waiting hour

This reminds me that God's gentle, healing presence is always in operation, and each one of us can express it to make sure everyone feels His care. We can do this in many big and little ways to contribute to the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2025.

Barbara Russell is a member of the Christian Science Group of Gallup, and can be reached at 722-0357. A radio show on spiritual healing, the Christian Science Sentinel Radio Edition, can be heard on KTNN 660 AM, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Also see www.spirituality.com for ideas on spiritual healing.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, wishing to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.