On giving to the poor.

 On giving to the poor.

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

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

Here in the above scripture Jesus issues a warning to those who have a lot in this world. Simply put they should be helping to poor. Not simply because it is the right thing to do but it is the humane thing to do. AND, it is what God requires of those who have much.

The Talmud gives this story,

“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.

Are you in a position to help the poor. Even if it’s only giving someone begging on the street your pocket change?

Please think about it.

A waring to the rich

  A warning to the rich 

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

Now as I have said in previous blogs there is nothing wrong with being rich or for that matter powerful. The problem arises when one misuses their wealth or power. When they put the wrong emphasis on their money or power.

I’m sure the rich man in the story could have helped Lazarus but chose not to. As a result he suffered the consequences.

If this man truly loved God he would have helped Lazarus and those like him. For it our faith in God that spurs us on to good works.

So the question becomes. Be you materially wealthy or not do you do what you can to help the poor around you?

Please think about it.

Now Listen

  Now Listen

In the book of James we read,

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  

Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  

You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:1-6.

Now there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. Having wealth is not a sin. What you do with that wealth and what emphasis you put on that wealth is what can get you into trouble with God.

James here warns the rich to be honest and fair with those that work for them and do business with them. 

If they don’t their wealth will not protect them from God’s judgement.

When you deal with others, do you deal fairly?

Please think about it.

Helping

  Helping

Jesus told this story,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog there is nothing wrong with being rich. It’s what we do with that wealth that wealth that can cause a problem.

In the above story Lazarus a beggar was not helped by the rich man. Ultimately however God held the rich man as He will us to account.

The Bible has thousands of verses calling us to help the poor any way we can. That can be as simple as giving a beggar on the street some pocket change, food, a warm coat, gloves, or whatever we have on hand. Even giving to a reputable charity is helping the poor.

So what are you doing to help the poor where you live?

Please think about it. 

Evidenced in good works

  Evidenced in good works

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? James 2:14-20

Lets make one thing clear according to the apostle Paul,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9.

James is not speaking against this belief. Rather James is pointing out that true faith in Christ is evidenced in good works. 

He points out,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?"

James notes that simply acknowledging there is a God (having an intellectual acknowledgement that God exists) is not enough as he states, "Even the demons believe that..."  

Simply saying to a person who is in need of food, shelter and clothing "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," is not enough. We need to put legs on our prayers and help them as much as we can.

Are you doing what you can to help those in need?

Please think about it.

Giving to the poor

  Giving to the Poor

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

God care for the poor. Within the scriptures there are over 2000 verses that deal with helping the poor.

Question are you doing what you can to help the poor where you live? Do you give a few at least a few coins to those begging on the street? Do you donate to a food bank?

Please think about it.

A Moral Obligation

 A Moral Obligation

In the book of Leviticus we read.

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.’ ” Leviticus 23:22.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo said,

“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.

I believe as Christians we have a moral obligation to help those in need, and scripture backs this up. In the book of James we read,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.

In the Jewish faith there is a concept known as Tzedakah. I got this explanation of tzedakah from Jewish web site it states,

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy....

In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.

We have no way of knowing why a person is poor and in need. And its not our place to judge the poor. 

It is however, our moral obligation to help the poor when we can.

Please think about it.

Lazarus the rich man and you

 Lazarus the rich man and you

Jesus told this story

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.

Like I said in my previous blog, there is nothing wrong with being rich. The problem is what you do with the wealth you have, and what priority do you put on it. 

Also, and this applies to everyone it’s all about what you do for God that counts. 

The rich man here could have afforded to help Lazarus yet he didn’t. The rich man didn’t seem to think about anyone but himself.

The old testament that the rich man would have at the very least known about and probably read, has numerous verses about helping the poor. Yet he it seemingly ignored them and God. 

Thus at the end of his life he paid the ultimate price for not following God’s word.

Question; Are you doing what you can to help the poor in whatever way you can?

Where do you think you will spend eternity?

Please think about it?

Listen you Rich

  Listen you Rich

In the book of James we read,

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  

Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  

You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:1-6.

Let me make this statement first. Being rich is not a sin. It’s how you treat your wealth and what you do with it that it the problem. The Apostle Paul wrote,

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10.

All too often those who are wealthy take advantage of the poor and helpless. They pay poor wages, and expect loyalty.

In the book of James those who take advantage of the ordinary worker and the poor are warned that God will one day judge them. And this judgement will be far more harsh than any earthly court can impose. 

Thus my question to you who are wealthy. You who run companies big and small is; What will God say to you when you stand before Him? How will God judge you?

Please think about it.

Be Open Handed

 Be open handed.

"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

Some time ago I heard a politician we should make all those on welfare go out and get a job. I heard of one recently in the United States who wanted to eliminate social assistance.

All of this is easy to say if you’re wealthy. However there are many people in this world who either are working a jobs that pay below poverty line wages. People who have illnesses and cannot work. People who are mentally ill. And there are refugees who are not allowed to work.

Over the years I’ve met many people who live below the poverty line. I’ve met people who are on some kind of social assistance. From listening to them by far the majority of them would rather have meaningful employment with a living wage.

God loves the poor. God has made it clear that those who can should help the poor in the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

Later on in Leviticus we read

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' " Leviticus 23:22.

This is a command from God. It was God’s way in ancient Israel of providing for 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.

Thus my question to you is; If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you do what you can to help the poor around you?

Please think about it.

Boxing Day

  Boxing day

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

Today is the day after Christmas day known at least where I live and in many British Commonwealth countries as boxing day. 

There are several beliefs as to how it started but the one that stands out for me is this,

The Boxing day name came from the alms boxed placed in churches during Advent season to collect monetary donations for parishioners. 

On this day also referred to as St. Stephens day (after the first Christian Martyr) members of the clergy would distribute to contents of the boxes to the poor on December 26th  

Giving to the poor within our society is a big part of Christian life. We should never turn a blind eye to the poor. If we consider ourselves a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus we should be doing what we can, even if it’s only a small gesture to help the poor.

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A True follower of Christ Jesus are you doing what you can to help the poor?

Please think about it.

Loving with Actions

  Loving with actions

The apostle John writes,

"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.

What do your actions say about you love for God and others?

Do you do what you can to help those in need around you even if it’s only giving to a food bank or charity that helps the poor?

What is your perception of the poor? Do you judge a person living on the streets negatively? 

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, you shouldn’t.

What the apostle John is saying here to Christians is simple. We are to help the needy however and when ever we can to the extent we can.

Please think about it. 

If your brother

  If your brother

In the book of Leviticus we read,

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”Leviticus 25:35.

Here is a powerful statement for all believers. We are to help those who cannot help themselves. A similar sentiment is written in the book of James it states,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

Around the world there is a refugee crisis. The numbers of refugees fleeing their home countries is overwhelming. Aid agencies and indeed countries are finding it hard to cope with the numbers. A hundred million people by one estimate are displaced. Forty percent are children under eighteen.

As believers in Christ Jesus we are told by Jesus himself to,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12.

The bottom line for those who believe in Christ Jesus is we are to help those who are in need to the extent we are able.

Please think about it.

The Rich and the Poor

  The rich and the poor

Jesus told this parable,

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 

“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31.

Here is a warning to those who have wealth and power. A warning that God will one day hold them to account for not helping those less fortunate. For not remembering their wealth and power ultimately come from God.

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.

Sadly to many people do not believe or practice this.

For a myriad of reasons there are poor in this world. Men, women, and children quite often because of circumstance beyond their control do not have enough to eat, a roof over their heads, clothing or health care. Basic human rights.

Politicians and those with excessive wealth whether they admit it or not have the ability to help. Sadly for political or ideological, or even greed they do little or nothing to end poverty. Such men and women I believe should beware that one day stand accountable for their actions.

There is one quote from the Talmud, that while not a Christian book expresses what I believe will happen when such people stand before God. The Talmud states,

"When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, "Have you believed in God?"  Or "Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  "He is asked: "have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?" The Talmud.

This I believe applies to all people.

Please think about it.

Pour yourself out for the hungry

  Pour yourself out for the hungry

The Prophet Isaiah states,

"If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday."Isaiah 58:10.

If you truly believe in God. If you are a true follower of Christ Jesus this I firmly believe is what we must do. We must help the poor. We must do our best to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Jesus told this story that should at the very least be a warning to those who are wealthy. Jesus said,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

Please think about it.

Giving

  Giving

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20

Martin Luther King, Jr. Said,

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 

'What are you doing for others?'”

                                      Martin Luther King, Jr.

As Christians, true believers in Christ Jesus we must always remember that we are to help others, Christians and non-Christians as much as we can.

Jesus said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

So if you see a homeless person on the street and have a few coins, bills or even food you can give. Why not do so in the name of Jesus. If you were in that position would you not want someone to help you.

If you get a chance to tell someone about Jesus and your faith in God, do so. You never know what may happen.

When you do these things however do them in the name of Christ and do them in secret. Jesus said,

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret..."Matthew 6:3,4a.

Please think about it.

A duty to the poor

  A duty to the Poor

In the book of Leviticus we read,

"If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you." Leviticus 25:35.

How many of us either don’t know about this duty or ignore this duty to the poor ordered by God?

How many of the politicians, pastors and evangelist who we support, who claim to be Christian, obey God and perform this duty?

Now I know the Talmud is not a Christian book. But it is full of Christian principles. One such principle is illustrated here,

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.

Question; Are you fulfilling your duty to the poor?

Please think about it.

Compassion

  Compassion 

In the gospel of Luke we read this statement from John the Baptist,

“‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”Luke 3:10,11.

I strongly feel to be a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, we must do what we can to help the poor. I believe the more we have, the more we should give to help the poor. This is one of the corner stones of Christian living.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

As Christians, believers in Christ Jesus, I believe God will hold us accountable for our behaviour towards the poor. If you want proof of this read, what Jesus said in Matthew 25:41-43.

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  

I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'” Matthew 25:41-43.

True belief in Christ Jesus causes us to have compassion for all those less fortunate than us. 

So do you show compassion for those less fortunate than you?

Please think about it.

You and the Poor

  You and the poor.

In proverbs we read,

"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.

In Judaism there is an interesting concept Christians need to practice it’s called Tzedakah,

I got this explanation from a Jewish web site, it states,

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy.

 In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.

Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah  is equivalent to an idol worshipper.”

The book of James states,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:34-40.

What will God say to you when you stand before Him.

Please think about it.

God, you, and the poor

  God, you, and the poor.

In the book of Exodus we read,

"For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 

"Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed."Exodus 23:10-12.

This could be called “Gods welfare plan”. God tells the Israelites to leave the fields unplowed and unused. So that the poor may eat of what is in those fields. In book of Leviticus God states,

“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19: 9,10.

This is Gods way of providing for the poor.

Note also in Exodus God tells us to rest on the seventh day. And that means everyone in your household and the working animals. 

In 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.

This is a commandment from God every believer I believe must follow. But sadly at least here in North America where I live, in society that goes twenty-four hours a day seven days a week, this is forgotten.

We as believers in Christ Jesus need to be doing what God is saying here. We need to be calling on our politicians, especially those who claim to be Christian to do more for the poor and needy.

Thus the question becomes, Are you doing what you can to help the poor and needy in y our community?

Please think about it.