An obligation to God and the poor

  An obligation to God and the poor

The apostle John wrote,

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:17,18.

This is telling me that we as believers in Christ Jesus have an obligation to those around us. We have an obligation to love in word and in deed. Which means if we see someone in need and can help we should help.

In Luke’s gospel Luke (16:19-31) Jesus tells us of a story It’s about Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had everything he needed in this world. Poor Lazarus would have been happy with the scraps from the mans table. Yet the man had no compassion on him. 

Finally when they both past into the next world the rich man was suffering for his lack of compassion in this world, while Lazarus was no longer suffering.

There are over 2000 verses in the Bible telling us to respond to the needs of the poor. 

Here are just three from the book of Proverbs,

"A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge." Proverbs 29:7

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

 "Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

Please think about it.