A Command

  A command

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”Deuteronomy 15:11.

Here God makes it clear that there will always be poor. Which history has proven to be true. Even in the richest nations on earth there are people who go hungry, do not have a roof over their head. People who struggle to make ends meet.

There are a myriad of reasons a person is poor. The reasons are unimportant. The important thing is that we are commanded by God to help the poor.

In the Talmud we read.

Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.” The Talmud.

I think there is an important moral point here for Christians and for that matter all of us. I firmly believe morally we have a responsibility to help the poor. If we own a business we have a moral obligation to pay a living wage to employees.

Likewise there is a case for everyone to support a business that pays its employees well, offers good benefits and a good working environment. 

We should as individuals do our best to support charities that help the poor.

In proverbs we read,

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”Proverbs 19:17.

The gospel of Matthew records Jesus as saying,

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”Matthew 25:44-45.

The Apostle Paul writing,

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”Galatians 6:9.

Please think about it.