Give me neither poverty nor riches

The commissioner ordered a review and said it was “absolutely not acceptable” for it to appear criminals were being rewarded for stealing. During the 5 months the project has been running just 7 vouchers have been given to people who had been caught shoplifting. A recent report said that one in five British households is now borrowing money to buy their weekly food.

The first food bank was established in a garden shed and garage in Salisbury in 2000. There are now more than 300 foodbanks nationwide run by churches and communities. In 2011/12 they gave emergency food to over 128,000 people. The Trussell Trust, which coordinates the foodbank project, is concerned that people in crisis should not go hungry. The film Les Misérables tells the moving story of Jean Valijean who was sent to prison in 19th century France for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. When he was released on parole his life was changed when a Bishop offered him food and shelter and graciously intervened to stop him being sent back to prison again. Because of the Bishop’s kindness Jean was a transformed man but spent the rest of his days in constant fear of being discovered.

In the book of Proverbs Agur prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.” Agur was a wise man who knew that poverty may bring great pressure on us so that we do things we know to be wrong. But he knew also that riches are a greater danger. Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Kindness and compassion can transform lives in a way that self-righteous condemnation never does.