Another fact we should accept: There is little or no peace and happiness in poor homes or families or relationships.
- Vicent Nemeyimana
- December 18, 2014
- Motivation and Inspiration
I am sure so many people especially Christians are going to theorize all the verses they know that speak of peace and joy in the Lord but not in the world’s riches. The challenge with us Christians is that we speak what is in scripture yet we rarely apply it in our lives. And I wonder if God gave us His word so that we may cram it only but not to make it the life we live. You know it, you have seen these homes, you have lived in them like I have, you have read about them and you know the truth: There is no stable peace and happiness in such homes.
Usually, happiness is to the outside as joy is to the inside. A person who is happy must show it though it may not be the case with a person having joy. However, both traits are motivated by good happenings despite their origin. Some preachers misinterpret this lesson. So many Christians think that getting unhappy or sad is a sin. Actually, it may be wrong to deny these emotions and try to displace them. For those who read my article “the 5 misinterpreted lessons in the church history up to now”, you will recall that the misinterpretation of what it is to get rich, money and prosperity accounts for the rampant poverty among many Christians.
The preachers of recipe for success and self-growth teach us to always find the true source of our joy and happiness in super-beings like God rather than our surroundings which can disappoint us now and then. This teaching is very correct and it forms the basis of people’s trust and faith in super-beings like God. Indeed, our joy and happiness must bear its foundation or base on only God who lives forever according to all his promises.
While the above is true, let us agree that our joy and happiness is greatly affected by our environment, our daily encounters, the relationships we keep and ultimately the kind of lives we live. Whether we are rich or poor, educated or not, male or female; all these affect our joy and happiness. The saved ones and non-saved ones all have joy and happiness. Actually, it is possible for the non-saved people to live a joyful and happy life than the saved. The only difference is that the saved ones have a special kind of joy that will never last while the other groups of people have world-dependant joy which ultimately will have to end (compare Lazarus-the poor man in bible and the rich man).
It is rare to find a very poor family happy. Stop a little. Don’t be negative. Listen to the point I am making. Imagine a family that rarely has what to eat and when it gets food, it isn’t nice or enough. This family has no educated family member. When any member of the family is sick, he will either have to heal naturally or die since there is no medical care. This family is living in a poor hurt or house conditions or is always having trouble with the landlord or landlady. But the family members are Christians from the parents to the children. Do you think there will be peace in the house? I ask you to be realistic.
Christianity or, put it rightly, faith is only the source of joy and happiness if it solves the challenges that make us unhappy. Listen, I am not talking about giving us money. I am simply saying that Faith provides joy and happiness by becoming an answer to enemies of joy and happiness, including poverty. A poor family or relationship will continuously switch from being happy and joyful to being unhappy and sad as the external forces attack them. Also, this family loses peace as they attack each other during the sharing of the limited resources or as they point fingers at each other citing the source of the different problem they will be having time after time.
Listen, have you ever seen kids fighting for food in poor families in our communities? Do you think such kids are just being stubborn or ungodly? No. Even this instability of joy, peace, and happiness in poor families doesn’t mean that a family is unsaved. It just means a problem is there and calls for a solution. For those who follow my writings, the solution here is not necessarily money but whatever it is, the existing peace-challenger must be dealt with (for example, the landlord might not be paid but convinced to forgive his tenants this rent fee).
Actually, too much of anything is always bad. Just as too much richness may be a problem, too much poverty is also terrible. So what is the point?
Let no one confuse you that you can be poor but stay happy and in love with your wife or family. Money, property, and other kind of holdings make love enjoyable and last. Yeah, she may hold on once, twice, thrice but she will break on the way and you will lose love. At times, you will break before she does due to stress and problems. Tell me, how you will share laughter, smiles and happiness when the landlord is on your door or when none has had supper.
I am worried about this article. You may not get it the way I want you to get it and then misquote me. I am not saying that money and richness is our joy and happiness, I am simply saying that they sustain and make it easy to enjoy what we already have. I am not saying that your partner will lose her or his lovely touch and feelings for you because you are poor; I am simply saying that the other challenges and problems for the poor will crack his heart and mind before they can enjoy or give you time. I am not saying that your money and riches are the source of joy and happiness, wapi, I am saying that they will help to guard against destroyers of joy and happiness like diseases, hunger, thirst, poor accommodation, debts and other life difficulties. I am not saying that faith is not enough, I am simply saying that it is useless if it bears no fruits or if it doesn’t solve your problems in its VAST ways.
Do you want to be happy and have peace in your family? Don’t stop working and working hard to get what to support your family. It is rare; actually, impossible to be happy when you are very poor with no basic needs. Thank you.
The Complete You Project.
