We all know that the Bible says that if we give, we shall receive.[1] We also know that we should treat others like we would want to be treated, if we were in the same situation.[2] These principles motivate us to reach out and help those in need. We may even remember the parable of the Good Samaritan and have learned that our neighbor is anyone that needs our help.[3]
But how do we help others, if we are not really sure that they need our help? We may in fact be falling for a trap, or are being deceived, conned, and may end up robbed, abused or even killed for our kindness.
Understandably, because of the atmosphere of violence and the disregard for traditional Godly guidelines in today’s world, we are fearful to get involved. We prefer to just pass by the poor man on the way to Jericho.[4] It’s just too complicated.
Jesus himself predicted that,
"because iniquity shall abound, the love of many would wax cold.”[5]
Have we as a society waxed cold because of the abundance of evil that exists in the world, or that we image to be present?
"For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”[6]
Our minds get filled with violent sights and sounds through television series and daily News. Is it any wonder men’s hearts fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth?[7]
Panic attacks, unheard of in our youth, are a common ailment among young and old alike. I know of five people who have suffered panic attacks. Yesterday, at my son’s school, a young eighteen year old senior girl, had to go to the hospital in ambulance because of a panic attack over an incident on the Facebook. The twenty-six year old brother of a woman who works with us has had to return to his home country last week, because of the panic attacks he has been experiencing in England.
A sixty year old co-worker has had various attacks where he ended up in the hospital because of panic. A local cashier had to quit her job because of the panic attacks she was having. After a two month sick-leave she experienced an attack on her first day back at work and had to be dismissed. The son of a woman who attends our fellowship and works in the zoo doing animal presentations has been fighting panic attacks and moved from one apartment to another, because of it.
Jesus also said,
“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”[8]
How was it before the flood in the days of Noah? In Genesis we read,
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”[9] “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”[10]
Sadly, the world, contrary to man’s Theory of Evolution, has only seemed to have degenerated as evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.[11] It just seems like the world is getting more and more evil. In the political, racial, ethnic climate we are faced with today, can we really, seriously risk “considering the poor?”
God has the answer. The first thing we can do is ask Him for His guidance. We can pray for discernment and protection in our doing. We may even get beaten by robbers. We may get conned. But on the other side, we’ll get the blessing of God.
The Bible says,
“A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”[12]
We can ask God for wisdom and the right convictions and follow moment by moment the still, small voice of conscience telling us,
"This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”[13]
He may tell us, “It’s dangerous, do not get involved.” Or he may say, “Yes, I will be with you.”
Sometimes, late at night, I pass a car on the motorway parked with the yellow emergency lights blinking. At times, I’m going too fast to stop and even enquire if help is needed. Other times, I am not sure if I should stop. But I have found there is one thing I can do. I can pray. I can ask God to intercede and help the person in need. Prayer is never the least you can do, but the most, because you are acknowledging the Creator of the universe and asking him to intervene. Another thing you could do is call the assistance number informing them of the vehicle you have seen.
When Bear Grylls, the famous British explorer, made his successful attempt to climb Mount Everest, he made one last telephone call before being out of telephone reception for various days. It would be his last chance to converse with those loved ones at home before his uncertain Everest attempt. But he did not call his newly wedded wife. He did not call his Mum. He called a Christian friend named Judy in London and asked her for prayer.
In the middle of his harrowing experience crossing the North Atlantic in an open air sea craft, in the midst of the worst weather they encountered, when they were being battered to hell and back by the ferocious waves and winds, when with each wave it seemed as if their craft would be broken in two or capsized in the freezing waters, Bear crawled under one protected area of their craft where he could use the emergency phone.
Did he call his dear wife who had just eight weeks earlier given birth to their first born son? No, again his 3:00 am request made through his contact in London was to ask his best friend for prayer. Bear was in a desperate situation and needed a miracle or he and his team were not going to get through.
What made the difference in Bear’s success was that he knew he was not strong or intelligent enough in himself to make it through that precarious situation. He knew he needed Divine intervention, that he needed God. He acknowledged his dependence on God and expected God to see him through. In the end, he did!
Do not be ashamed to stop and pray and acknowledge God. Like the Bible says,
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.”[14]
Asking for God’s help may be just what makes the difference between success and failure. Asking for His help may bring you just the stamina you need or an idea which will help overcome the difficulty you are in.
Did anyone in the Bible do good and receive evil for it? Obviously, Jesus did, the man who went around doing good and helping others. In the Old Testament we read that Ahimelech the priest helped David when unknowingly David was escaping from Saul. Afterwards, Saul had Ahimelech, his family, all the priests and his village killed and destroyed because of it.[15] Abel went out to the field to help his older brother Cain but ended up offering up the sacrifice of his life.[16] The Bible tells us that the world was not worthy of Abel,[17] and that he received a better resurrection because of it.[18]
For the last few years I have been involved in different humanitarian projects to help the poor. I have gone to Mozambique and donated a few thousand euros to help the mission and soon afterwards the mission closed because of internal problems. I made a 4,800 km round trip to Bosnia after New Years to deliver foodstuffs, blankets and clothing for refugees of the war, only to find out that most of the refugees were ethnic gypsies. I went to the Sahara to do cultural programs for the Saharawi people and ended up with a bad intestinal bug and my co-workers didn't realize I was gravely sick. I have worked hard to deliver foodstuffs and school supplies to poor families in Portugal and yet some of those families seem to have better housing and vehicles than I do.
Have I gotten it wrong?
As we started a recent campaign for school material, my Portuguese friend made the following comment. He said, “Dennis, you do a lot of reading, but you need to meditate more on what God’s word says. Read the first few verses in Psalm forty-one and meditate on them. They are God’s promises to you for Considering the Poor.” Let us read them together.
Blessed is he that considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.[19]
David, the writer of the psalm, had certainly had trouble; from being the youngest of band of seven brothers, to his need to protect his father’s sheep from hungry lions and bears, to his battle with Goliath the Philistine warrior, to the jealous deception and betrayal of his father-in-law King Saul. David had experienced much anguish. You can read his out pouring of prayer and calling upon God for his help in many of his psalms. But the promise of deliverance from trouble in the above verse is for us also today who consider the poor.
The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.[20]
David had experienced God’s blessing and his deliverance from his enemies. But again the promise is alive and is for us today as well, as much as it was for David of old.
The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing (sickness): and wilt make (or restore) all his bed in his sickness (heal him).[21]
The Lord even promises healing from sickness as a result of “Considering the Poor.”
In the book of Proverbs can be found more blessings for those who “Consider the Poor,” as well as a few warnings.
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.[22]
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.[23]
He that hath a bountiful (generous) eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.[24]
The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.[25]
God promises to supply our needs as we take care of the poor and supply their need. We are all guilty of sometimes hiding our eyes when we see someone ahead of us at the supermarket, or at the stop-sign or street-light or at our gate asking for help. But God's word tells us not to be neglectful to entertain strangers, because they may be angels unawares.[26]
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.[27]
That verse reminds me of many of today’s governments which oppress the poor and refuse to raise the taxes of the rich. Instead the poor, middle class, and the retired carry the burden of tax increases. Governments are careful to not overtax their rich and make laws to protect the foundations where the rich have their millions hidden. But the proverb further admonishes,
“He that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.”
Meditating on how much God considers the poor made me remember that God had said to Moses something about considering the poor. Here’s what I found.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.[28]
I recently visited my son in Darlington, England. While walking through various parks in the town, I noticed on the monuments that the parks had been donated by Joseph Peace, Quaker businessman. Mr. Peace had wanted the poor laborers returning home from work in the mines or factories to have a place where they could regain their strength as they walked through the peaceful, beautiful parks he established.
I myself had experienced that same peace as I walked my son’s dog each late afternoon and thanked God for Mr. Peace’s foresight and Christian charity. His consider the poor project is still a blessing to the many poor and lower middle class families who live in the housing developments that border that park.
Conclusion: Don't give up your work of helping the poor and needy. God will bless you as you pour out your love and blessings upon others. Remember what Jesus said,
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."[29]
As you help them with their physical needs don't forget to minister to their spiritual and emotional needs. Everyone is hungry for love and sincere appreciation. Jesus not only fed the multitudes and healed them, but He also ministered to them the word of God. As much as possible, we should do the same.
[1] Luke 6:38
[2] Matthew 7:12
[3] Luke 10:25-37
[4] Luke 10:31,32
[5] Matthew 24:12
[6] Proverbs 23:7a
[7] Luke 21:26
[8] Matthew 24:37
[9] Genesis 6:5
[10] Genesis 6:11
[11] 2Timothy 3:13
[12] Proverbs 22:3
[13] Isaiah 30:21
[14] Proverbs 3:5,6
[15] 1Samuel 21:1-9, 22:9-23
[16] Genesis 4:8, Hebrews 11:4
[17] Hebrews 11:38
[18] Hebrews 11:35
[19] Psalm 41:1
[20] Psalm 41:2
[21] Psalm 41:3
[22] Proverbs 28:27
[23] Proverbs 21:13
[24] Proverbs 22:9
[25] Proverbs 29:7
[26] Hebrews 13:2
[27] Proverbs 22:16
[28] Deuteronomy 15:7-11
[29] Matthew 25:40b
1 Comments:
Is it really worth it to consider the poor? Or is it just a vain show? Are there promises for those who consider the poor?
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