The Poverty Mindset

During my one week in Timor-Leste, I mentioned Shi Yang: A Singaporean who had a heart for Timor-Leste and worked for a Singapore investment company as intern. During his stay there, one of his job scope is to assess the current and future Timor-Leste economical potential. He had access to many information and latest condition of Timor-Leste economy.

Shi Yang shared about one thing that stayed in my mind. He said besides all the challenges that Timor-Leste is facing, one of the reason that Timor-Leste is kept from moving is because of the Timorese's poverty mindset. This poverty mindset needs to be dealt with in order for Timor-Leste to progress significantly.

Shi Yang went on to describe poverty mindset. Poverty mindset is a result of the centuries-long war and occupation. The local people had been living in poverty from generation to generation, hiding themselves from the war in the forest. Because of such lifestyle, they adhered to the mode of living one day to another. They don't think about tomorrow. Not that they are lazy, but that they had no such luxury to think about it. If they had food for today, they survive today; if they do not, they focus on holding on until tomorrow. There's just no point thinking about 5 years later, they might not even live tomorrow.

Hence, such mindset causes them to continue living as such even at time of peace. Most of them don't think about the future. They are hardworking and loyal people. You can start a business and expect them to tend to your shop with honesty and integrity, but you can hardly leave the business to them for a year or two and expect them to keep running it for you. They would open and close shop as usual, but a year later you would find your cash register rusted and the light zapping on and off. Because they don't plan for the future, they don't find it important to maintain properties to sustain its value and profit-making capability. They are okay with earning enough for today.

The mindset became a shackle for them, without thoughts to improve themselves or even picture a better life. They can't find the motivation to do so. As a result, generations to generations, they will stay trapped in this mindset that creates a stumbling block for social and economical development among the Timorese.

~~~

I guess sometimes, no, most of the time, or perhaps all the time, we too have this poverty mindset. We are so frantically trying to meet the needs for today, we don't think about tomorrow. Of course, I'm not speaking in the context of our physical lives here. I'm pretty sure many of us have plans for the coming 5 to 10 years. My friends have been approaching me about finance planning and such for my future. We did right about that, but nonetheless we still live in poverty.

We are so busy laying up treasure in this life, we tend to neglect the coming one. We are so caught up with our academics, our failures to meet expectations troubles us. We are so busy trying to meet the expectations of others, work so hard for it, we forget what really matters. We find ourselves pulling our hairs trying to put on edges over another so that we would have a better life in the future, but yet we forget about the life after.

Admit it, we all have this poverty mindset, and that's what Jesus tried to liberate us from. This trapping mindset binds us in a cycle that keeps defeating us. In this life, we keep trying to make more, we have no thought about eternity. As we lay up treasures in this life, we find ourselves wanting more; and as we make more, it pains us because what we made before keeps perishing, and it just doesn't seem to be enough. In order to liberate us, Jesus said:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Matthew 6:19-21

Unfortunately, these treasures on earth perishes. We will fail to meet expectations, our result certificates will burn and decay, our money will be spent and its value shrunken, our power will be taken over by someone else, our stories forgotten, our time fades as our life on Earth ebbs away. We cannot deny what Job said in his own suffering of loss:

And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

Job 1:21

But yet, Jesus talked about treasures above that does not perish. If such treasure does not perish, our labour would not be in vain. Isn't this a better reason to focus on what really matters? In this blind chase of earthly treasure, let us push what's distracting aside and focus on what really matters. When we are called to worship, let's put down all things that is temporal and worship Him; when we are called to work, let us not forget to pray and rely on God; when we are disappointed by others, even by ourselves, let us not forget that those things do not matter, because only God matters.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Colossians 3:1-3