Bishop Dag Heward-Mills
There are many reasons why rich people do not feel sorry for poor people. If rich people felt sorry for poor people they would give the poor more money and try to help in many more ways. Over time, rich people have discovered that poor people do have a lot of resources and opportunities but waste them and do not use them wisely! Many rich people have resigned from trying to help poor people because they do not practice frugality.
Experienced men know that there are reasons why poor people continue to be poor. Don’t deceive yourself! In addition, human selfishness will always cause the rich man to be more concerned about his toothache than about the poor man’s life-threatening problems.
Why Rich People Do Not Feel Sorry for Poor People
Rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because poor people leave their lights on whilst rich people turn off their lights. The lights on bridges and monuments in the great cities of the Western world are turned off in the night and not left to burn after midnight when no one will see them. One night, I was out in Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia. At a certain time, the numerous lights on the bridges and monuments suddenly went off. I thought to myself, ‘Surely these rich people are turning off their lights.’ I am sure that in certain poor countries thousands of lights were still burning strong even though they did not have a constant electricity supply. Rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because poor people chase after fantasies. “But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough” (Proverbs 28:19).
Leaders of poor countries are specialists of travelling to rich countries to ask for help and loans. They chase fantasies whilst good leaders stay in their own countries, ensuring that practical things are done. Pastors with undeveloped church buildings love to travel around, spending a lot of time moving between America and Europe, but never developing their own local church.
Rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because many poor people do not use their good seasons well. In the season of fat cows they did not invest properly. It is sad to see poor people who once had great opportunities and earned lots of money. Somehow, they did not use the good season properly and it passed before they could say, “Jack Robinson!” A country may have lots of cocoa, timber, gold and diamonds. These may be harvested for years but amount to nothing for this country. This is why rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because they know that the poor people have misused their opportunities and wasted their resources. The good season when there were abundant forests and the mines were filled with gold and diamonds is past and that nation has no roads, no water and no electricity! Rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because many poor people are lazy. Proverbs teaches that it is easy to see the field of a lazy person (a sluggard). I am not saying that all poor people are lazy. But I have noticed how some people stay in poverty because they do not want to work hard. Phlegmatic people are often too lazy to lift up themselves and do their work. I have also watched people work hard and rise out of difficulty. A lazy person always has a reason for not achieving his targets. The notion that poverty is caused by laziness is very biblical. King Solomon observed this phenomenon and recorded it. I passed by THE FIELD OF THE SLUGGARD and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,” Then your poverty will come as a robber and your want like an armed man.
Proverbs 24:30-34 (NASB)
Rich people do not feel sorry for poor people because poor people seem to want bad leaders to perpetuate their disorganisation and confusion. Indeed, good leaders are rarely chosen by the poor masses. Real leaders are often rejected as being harsh and difficult. Politics, good looks and good speeches may win an election. But politics, good looks and good speeches do not bring organisation and development. Stern leadership is what brings development and prosperity. Strong and uncompromising leadership in Singapore made that nation one of the richest in the world. When God was creating the heavens and the earth, He separated light and darkness in order to bring out His beautiful creation. …and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:4
And let it divide the waters from the waters.
Genesis 1:6
Most rich outsiders will learn to leave the poor people to live in their filth and confusion. This confusion and disorganisation is perpetuated when the poor people choose fatally deficient men to lead them.
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