Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth. (Psalm 41:1-2)
In conjunction with previous devotions about our responsibility to care for the less fortunate, let us look at another aspect of how we can consider the poor. When someone is sick, we know that it is helpful to visit them, and if appropriate, take care of them. But depending on the severity of the sickness, there is only so much we can do. In some situations, the final outcome is in God’s hands. In that same vein of thought, if someone is in a desperate financial situation — they have no money for food or shelter — we can lend them assistance to get them through the immediate difficulty but that doesn’t necessarily mean the problem won’t be recurring.
The point is, on our end of things, there is a limit to what we can do for others when it comes to temporal means, and so along with those practical methods there needs to be assistance that leads them to a more substantial solution. We’ve all heard the saying, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” This simple yet profound proverb has spiritual implications; we can and should help the poor through temporal means but we should also consider how to help them in a way that will last their lifetime. If we have the means to help them physically, perhaps we should take the time to train them to help themselves by sharing what we have learned, especially those principles contained in Scripture.
In other words, if God brings someone into our life who has a great need, perhaps we are being given an opportunity to disciple. The Hebrew wording translated as “he who considers the poor” is literally “he who acts wisely for the sick (poor).” I take that to mean, not only should we lend the immediate assistance needed but should teach those in need how to better their situation. Maybe bad habits lends to their poverty; the Bible has an answer for that. Perhaps someone’s physical ailment is the result of other bad habits; the Bible has an answer for that too. I am not of the view that it is my job to tell everyone how to live their life, but at the same time, when God brings someone into my life that needs help, it is my responsibility to try and help them become a better human being.
It is written, “You shall not take a stand against the life of your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:6). In other words, we are to be proactive in helping our fellow man avoid loss whether it is his livelihood or his very life. When his ox falls along the road, we are not to pass by but are to help him lift it up again (Deuteronomy 22:4). And if we see him about to place in life in peril through poor choices, we should say something that might save his life. All this is to say, like it or not, we are our brother’s keeper and so let us be about our Father’s business by helping our brother along the way.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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