What is poverty?

This week I've been challenged by God in my view of poverty. First because I've caught myself thinking that those living on the street NEED me, how selfish and prideful of myself. Since when has anyone not been able to survive without me, God gives me the privilege to meet these people and to serve them. At the same time we had a group here that was mainly non-Christians and my heart was very hard towards them. They came on this trip to serve and complained the whole time about the work they had to do, went against our rules, and were just kinda rude. How dare they!! But when did God make a distinction and say not to love these people? They don't claim to be believers, so why do I hold them to the same standard I hold my group? And are they any less poor than those living on the streets, because both demographics are heading to Hell at the same speed, and both are already spending their lives in bondage to Satan. So what's the difference?

I asked my group this question last night during debriefing because it has been on my heart for the last day or so. What are some characteristics that we define for the poor (once we take away their lack of money and possibly lack of knowing Christ)? We see loss of self worth, lack of self confidence, isolation, hurt, desire for love, etc. Now if we apply money to that, do we not have a large population of America? Girls who think they are only worth what they can give to a guy physically. Men who believe they have to be the best at everything or they are nothing. The world is teaching our people to turn to drugs and alcohol to drown out the pain, to turn to sex to feel loved, but all this does is put the feelings on hold until the high is gone and everything comes rushing back in along with regret. Who are we supposed to reach out to? Is it just the poor? What is poor????

"As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along." - Galatians 2:6-10

God put this verse on my heart last night as I was thinking through all of this. He will send some to the rich and some to the poor, neither of which is better than any other. Who are you called to serve with the love of Christ?