Redemptive Poverty Work Student Workbook

2 4 / R E D E M P T I V E P O V E R T Y W O R K S T U D E N T W O R K B O O K

no punishment yet no reward. And the last option is I could give her grace, which is to give her what she does not deserve. Tearfully Gabby confessed unprompted that leaving the yard was wrong and that she was sorry. I didn’t show justice, probably because as my wife says I am wrapped around both of my daughters’ fingers. I did show some mercy, as in place of justice she got a stern talking to. She received grace, because after the stern discussion I took her out for ice cream. Ice cream for disobedience? Sounds like something Jesus would do. For that, we should be thankful. What does this have to do with poverty work? What Gabby illustrated is our natural sin nature that we first read about in Genesis 3, the story of the fall. Without self-awareness, we will automatically do poverty work based on our own motives, with very little consideration of the people we desire to help. It often is done under the guise of good intentions and leads to toxicity that in the end doesn’t benefit anyone. This lesson may be tough for you. Reality is I have yet to meet anyone who has attempted poverty work and does not have at least one toxic incident within her or his experience. Keep in mind the responses of God of justice, mercy, and grace. Try to give yourself mercy and grace, and let God decide if you deserve justice. Then remember that you’ve already received grace, and work to move away from toxic poverty work.

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Recite and/or sing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix).

Nicene Creed

Memorize Luke 4.18-19 in a standard Bible translation (not a paraphrase version, e.g. The Message ) and grade yourself using the scripture-memory-form.doc.

Scripture Memory

To prepare for class, refer to the schedule for this course to see what assignments are due before your next class meeting and complete the

Assignments

assignments below: Read the following:

• Redemptive Poverty Work – “Toxic Poverty Work” (pages 23-30)