Incidentally, poverty does not occur only in one paradigm, i.e. material possessions, yet, that is how the 'world' tends to think of poverty - the lack of material possessions.
When Jesus spoke about poverty, he addressed poverty in two contexts: spiritual poverty and material poverty.
The first, he promises fulfillment for. The second he assures us will always be with us.
It is this second batch that will 'always be with us' that humans have tended to focus on, but not always in a positive way.
When addressed in a positive way, consideration is given to the needs and limitations of the poor and efforts are made to provide what they lack.
When addressed negatively, a perjorative distinction is made about the poor, creating a camp of 'us vs. them.' It is this negative distinction that robs the poor of their dignity and humanity, because whereas they lack materially, they do not necessarily lack spiritually.
For example, consider the famous Negro spirituals - they were birthed at a time of extreme lack in the history of African-Americans. So that although lacking material wealth, they were abundantly rich in spiritual blessings.
Jesus addresses this when he counsels us to pursue righteousness rather than material prosperity, and also when he teaches that oftentimes material prosperity and the pursuit of it, hinders spiritual prosperity.
Apostle Paul further emphasizes this when he speaks of Jesus and himself. He addresses the fact that our Savior became (materially) poor, so we could become rich (makes me imagine that if Jesus were among us today, he would not fall in the camp we so favor, i.e., the materially prosperous). He also mentions the fact that he, Paul, had let go of pursuit of material gain and profit in terms of salary, instead living poorly on the barest minimum so he could be more available to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If material prosperity does not equate spiritual prosperity why then do we not honor the materially poor in our midst, and instead subvert God's standards to value material prosperity above spiritual prosperity???
This practice robs us of getting to know and love our poor neighbors and causes us to despise them because we consider ourselves 'better off.'
This Lenten season, let's make a change and determine to draw near to our 'poor' neighbors that we might mutually benefit from one another.
Prayer: Father, please teach us this Lenten season to be aware of both our own prosperity and poverty and the prosperity and poverty of our neighbors, in such a way that we affirm and honor one another in the gifts you have blessed us with, in Jesus name!