Define Necessity

Have you seen this picture yet?  It, or something similar, has been making its rounds on Facebook.

This picture breaks my heart.  And it makes me angry.

Because as I am scrolling through Facebook, I see some people posting a picture like this, and I see other people posting pictures of themselves at Occupy Wherever sites, claiming to be part of the world's 99% poor.

According to the government statistics, I am living in poverty.  Yup, me.  With clothes on my back, a car to drive, a family doctor and accessable medical care, three square meals a day, and even a cup of coffee a day.  I live in poverty.  "Someone" defined necessity and told me that I am living in poverty.

Poverty.  Wow.  That's a weighted word.  But here's how it's defined in Canada.  I got this from a Family Services of Toronto publication.

Ontario Deprivation Index  

Items necessary for a household to have a standard of living above the poverty level:

1. Being able to get dental care if needed.
2. Replace or repair broken electrical goods such as a stove or toaster. 
3. Being able to buy modest presents for family/friends at least once per year. 
4. Appropriate clothes for job interviews.
5. Having friends or family over for a meal at least once a month.
6. Fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
7. Being able to get around your community, either by car or bus pass.
8. Hobby or leisure activity.
9. Meat, fish or vegetarian equivalent at least every other day.
10. Having a home free of pests, such as cockroaches, bedbugs, mice.

Really?  That's the definition of necessity?  That's the definition of poverty?  I'm living in poverty if I can't get a root canal?  I'm living in poverty if I can't afford to have a hobby?!  And how do you define hobby anyway?  Is going to the library and getting books for free and reading considered a hobby?  Or do I have to play hockey to claim I have a hobby?  And what's a modest gift?  If I can't afford to buy my kid an iPad, but I can afford an iPod, is that modest?  If I can't manage to buy a Blackberry, but I can afford a pay-as-you-go phone that makes phonecalls and only makes phonecalls, is that modest?  Define necessity.   Do I really and truly live in poverty?  Does anyone in Canada?  I listen to what I am told about what I "need" to have in order to live above the poverty level, and then I look at the picture, and something just does not line up.

Look at those kids in the picture.  I wonder what they'd think of my characteristics of poverty.  I wonder if their list might not look something like this:

Items necessary for a household to have a standard of living above the poverty level:

1. Teeth.
2. A kerosene heater/cookstove.
3. Friends or family who aren't dead before the age of 35.
4. Something to wear.
5. Access to clean drinking water.
6. A meal a day.  
7. A community with a public latrine.
8. The opportunity to go to school or have some kind of way of supporting oneself.
9. Meat on special occasions like weddings.
10. A shelter with a roof that doesn't leak.

Somehow, poverty and poverty are not equal.  If I define poverty by my reality, what word does that leave for the truly poor?  I live in one of the richest countries in the world.  That's not just because 1% of its population are living above the poverty level.  It's because we all are, if you define poverty as, well, poverty.

Define necessity?  I think Paul does it rather well.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.  

For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.  

But if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content."

Living in poverty?  Me?  I don't think so.  I am, of all people, most richly blessed.