Choices & Consequences
A man can do whatever he wants. This is the quintessential mark of manhood. But however luxurious this may sound, it is a great responsibility. Because, to whom much is given much is required Luke 12:48, so abuse of such power could lower a man’s status. How so? Well, poor decisions culminate and binds a man to oppressive conventions, such as the penal system, or prison. A man is surely reduced to a child within the penal system, because children must do as they are told or suffer the consequences. But despite the many horror stories and Hollywood depictions, prison is the least of a man’s oppressions. For there is no doubting concrete walls and iron cages, but many men are serving life sentences to poverty; the great unseen oppression.
The Origin of Poverty
First, understand that poverty is not solely monetary. ‘The treasure is wherever the heart is‘ Matthew 6:21, so even a homeless man has an abundance of whatever he deems most valuable. A man who has abundant time but no money is equally as rich as a man who has abundant money but no time. Poverty could befall either man the moment one entitles himself to the very things he is unwilling to work for. Because, poverty is not about lacking, but wanting.
See, poverty begins inwardly rather than outwardly. It is a mental disposition. An impoverished man essentially robs his own house and then declares himself innocent. Consider, yet again, the man who has abundant time but no money. His own conscious decisions declare that–to him–time is more valuable than money, so it would be insane for him to expect a luxurious lifestyle. The same applies to the man who has abundant money but no time. He would be a fool to expect unconditional loyalty, as most relationships evolve over time.
From this angle it is plain to see that every man gets exactly what he deserves; no matter how “unfair” the predicament. Now, there are exceptions, but poor choices and decisions are usually the breadcrumbs that lead to “unfair” predicaments. For these reasons, my personal mantra is to never feel sorry for a grown man. Never ever feel sorry for a grown man. Now, this isn’t to say that one should not help a man in need (within strict reason). However, do not lend emotions to his despair. Because, despite his lowliness, there was a time when he had power to command his life, but he squandered it with poor decisions.
Conclusion
A man must search his soul rigorously to see if his world is happening to him or because of him. This will reveal his status, because the world happens to a child, but the world happens because of a man. The world happens to the impoverished man because he does not understand that everything he has–and everything he does not have–is a reflection of what he works for. A man’s abundance and his lack reflect what he values and what he does not; what he chooses and what he rejects. If he wishes to rise up out of this estate and break the chains of poverty he must either change his values, or simply be content.
