In Mark 14:7, Jesus is quoted as saying
"The poor will be with you always".
Many of us use this statement as a cue to throw our hands up. "Oh well! No use in trying to help them. We'll never get rid of poverty." We harden our heart around this idea and soon look right through people who could honestly use our help.
This one verse (taken out of context) somehow seems to outweigh many other verses:
Deut. 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in n whatever he lacks.
Deut. 26:12. When you have finished paying the complete tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and the widow, that they may eat in your towns, and be satisfied.
Lev. 19:19ff. Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.
Prov. 31:8ff. [Commandment to kings.] Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
Is. 58:66ff. Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Jer. 22:3. Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Luke 12:33. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."
Luke 3:11. And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, "Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."
Mt. 5:42. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
May we have Christ's heart towards those in need. It may be us one day.
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1 comments:
My thoughts on poverty?? Hmmmm. My personal opinion is that if every evangelical Bible believing church would stop twisting and proof-texting Scripture and making Christians believe that tithing was New Testament (it's not and we are not under Levitical law) then I believe we would have millions upon millions of dollars with which to help the poor, widowed, orphaned and needy among us. But guess what? The "Church" has decided that a building, A/C, pretty altars and salaries are more important. What's interesting is that there is no Scripture indicating that the gifting of Pastor, or salaries in general are to be paid in the "Church" Tithing died with Jesus and He did away with it. Giving out of a purely motivated heart centered on Christ alone is the key. It's not the government's job to take care of the poor, it's our responsibility. But, wait, we are too busy building ministries and paying salaries that benefit US from a tithing concept that is not even Scripturally accurate...no wonder it doesn't work. Ichabod indeed. Just a tongue in cheek thought. Peace.
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