Poor matters

In 2008 the World Bank estimated that there were 1.29 billion people living in absolute poverty.  The problem with definitions of poverty is that when it is based on social-economic factors, different cultures have different perceptions of what constitutes poverty. And different personalities experience poverty in different ways. Is it living below US$1 a day, for example, or a rubric of basic human rights denied or not enjoyed which constitute an individual being classified as 'poor'?

A biblical term "poor in spirit" speaks of a poverty in relation to God, where one renders one's needs and dependency on God as being the true way of being. Often it might be those who are socially and economically "poor" who find themselves in this relationship with God, but it need not be such people alone, far from it, and in any case that is not the biblical meaning. We can all be or strive to be poor in spirit. Perhaps we should all seek this quality of humility which accepts our vulnerability and dependency in our lives.

It is a funny old word, a word that traverses our language, and has usages that infuse all situations and walks of life:

poor show

poor job

poor effort

poor performance

poor delivery

poor weather

poor structure

poor result

poor health

poor display

poor attainment

poor achievement

poor workmanship

poor recording

poor yield

poor growth

poor quality

poor construction

poor climate

poor start

poor soil

poor discipline

poor sleep

poor grip

poor light

poor evidence

poor return

poor analysis 

Some photographers like to digitally 'capture' the poor, sometimes the destitute poor, or those in absolute relative poverty. The finished images conjure up strong emotions in the eyes of the beholder, a feeling that is sometimes both repulsive and strangely attractive at one and the same time, an almost artistic quality. Shame on us that this is so. Charitably, some images prompt action and calls to alleviate the poverty; some document the atrocities in parts of the world, committed by others who inflict more suffering on those already poor.  And sometimes we respond. But more often than not we do not, or we just behold the images and move on with our quotidian existence, or we respond meekly or insufficiently.

Poor show.

God bless the poor.

Who else can they truly turn to?