Posts Tagged ‘the poor and needy’

Proverbs 29:07 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: September 29, 2014 in Bible Study, Encourgement, Personal Growth, Proverbs 29, Spiritual Training, The Poor
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 29:07 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicket have no such concern.

Ignorance is not bliss, nor an excuse, when it comes to the poor. Wicked men do not think about them or make any effort to know their situations or troubles. But a righteous man considers the poor and explores their circumstances to learn what they need and how he can help. Ignorance is not bliss, nor an excuse, in this matter, for God will punish the selfish man that neglects to think about the poor and take care of them (Pr 21:13; 28:27).

Selfish and stingy persons, who are the wicked of this proverb, do not think or care about the poor. They are so obsessed with their own worthless lives that there is no room in their mind or heart for others, even when those others are in need or trouble. If you confront them, they say, “I did not want to pry into their personal business,” or, “I mind my own business, as you should,” or, “I did not know they were having such difficulties,” or, “I cannot afford to help anyone else, because I do not have many luxuries myself.”

Consider Job. God bragged to the devil that Job was a perfect and upright man (Job 1:1-8). Did Job think about the poor? Did he inquire about the poor to know when help was needed? Job said, “I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out” (Job 29:16). Amen! Job also said, “I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy” (Job 29:12-13).

Pure religion is thinking and doing for the poor (Pr 14:31; 17:5; Ps 112:9; Luke 19:8-9; Jas 1:27; I John 3:16-19). God does not care about your fasting, church attendance, Bible reading, or tithes, if you ignore or neglect the poor (Is 1:10-20; 58:3-7; Matt 23:23). He measures religion where it counts – in the heart and by your wallet! How much have you thought about the poor? Have you felt their pain? Have you asked about their needs? What have you done about it? Have you responded with labor or money? How much?

Financial success depends on giving to the poor, but wicked men do not give, because they greedily think they will get ahead by not giving. They are blind. You cannot become poor by giving to the poor, for the Lord will repay in abundance, even beyond what you give. Consider it well (Pr 11:24-26; 19:17; 22:9; 28:8; Luke 6:38; II Cor 9:6-11)!

Poor saints are your primary duty (Deut 15:7-11; Acts 2:42-45; 4:34-37; 6:1-7; 11:27-30; Rom 15:25-27; I Cor 16:1; II Cor 9:1-2). The only pagan poor you are bound to consider are those God brings directly in your path in a crisis (Luke 10:25-37). Only those of both types who are doing all they can for themselves are worthy. When you give to the Christian poor, there are two other bonuses to consider. First, Jesus Christ will remember your charity in the Day of Judgment (Matt 10:41-42; 25:31-46), and second, some have entertained angels unawares (Heb 13:2; Gen 18:1-8; 19:1-3; Judges 13:2-23).

If you are a woman, there is another reason for charity. If you are ever widowed, a true church will fully support you (I Tim 5:3-16; Acts 6:1-6). The qualifications for this special class of widows include a great reputation for diligence in good works, including the lodging of strangers and relief of the afflicted (I Tim 5:10; Pr 31:20; Acts 9:36-43). You can be fully vested in God’s retirement plan by investing in good works for others.

Empathy is feeling with and for others. Paul wrote, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body” (Heb 13:3). It is practicing the golden rule from your heart and mind (Luke 6:31). God’s law required empathy with generosity (Ex 22:21-27; Deut 15:7-11; 24:12-22; Ps 41:1), which Job practiced (Job 31:16-22). How considerate are you of others in need? How tender is your heart, and how wide do you open your hand to help them (Deut 15:7-11)?

King Lemuel’s mother taught him to intervene for the poor (Pr 31:8-9), and she taught him to only marry a woman with that kind of heart (Pr 31:20). A great measure of noble character is a person’s eagerness to help others in trouble. But this wisdom is not only for the Old Testament: it is also required in the New (Rom 12:13). Your own happiness and blessings depend on how you treat the poor (Pr 14:21; Ps 41:1-3; Acts 20:35).

What will you do about this proverb? Despise it? Forget it? Whom should you be thinking about right now? Whom will you have to your house for a meal, or take out to eat, next? Those who can repay in some way, or those who cannot (Luke 14:12-14)? Lip service is worthless and cruel (Jas 2:15-16). The omniscient God is watching your heart, mind, and wallet (Pr 15:3; Heb 4:12-13). True love that proves eternal life performs (I John 3:14-19), like the Lord Jesus Christ performed mightily for you (II Cor 8:9; 9:15).

Proverbs 31:20 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 31, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 31, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

 Proverbs 31:20  She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

The virtuous woman has more on her mind than just her family. Her ambitions, energy, and plans extend to the poor and needy that God has placed in her path. Rather than be content with having her husband, children, and home well cared for and happy, she has a conscience that drives her to take care of others who cannot take care of themselves.

Her thoughts toward the poor and needy are more than wishful thinking or kind words. Her thoughts result in diligent and personal action, which are the only thoughts that count in the sight of God and men (Pr 3:27-28; Jas 2:15-16). She knows that true love is in deed and truth, not merely in word and tongue (I Jn 3:16-18). Moved by God’s love for her, she has bowels of compassion to share her ability and substance with the needy.

The charitable giving here is not easy or passive action. “She stretcheth out her hand,” and, “She reacheth forth her hands.” These words do not convey casual donations or convenient acts of charity. A virtuous woman goes out of her way to meet the poor and needy and help them, even if it requires strenuous effort to accomplish the service. She is not merely available for charity; she volunteers and does the work without any prodding.

The virtuous woman has sympathy for the truly poor and needy (Jas 1:27). She does not exchange mock charity with friends, subdivision neighbors, or peers at work. She knows that giving to the rich will bring God’s judgment (Pr 22:16). Neither does she care or worry about the foolish, lazy, or wasteful (Pr 13:23; 20:4; II Thess 3:10). She, like the Good Samaritan, waits for the Lord to put an act of God in her path (Luke 10:25-37).

She knows godly charity begins with true needs in her extended family – parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents (I Tim 5:4,8,16). It then serves the poor and needy in her church (Acts 2:44-45; Rom 12:13), those in other churches (Matt 25:40; Gal 6:10), and then those God puts in her path (Job 31:16-22; Luke 10:25-37). She is given to hospitality for the saints and known for generosity to strangers (Rom 12:13; I Tim 5:10; Heb 13:2).

A man with a virtuous wife must allow her a discretionary budget for such spending, and it will come back to praise her and him (Pr 31:23,31; II Kgs 4:8-10). Stingy husbands can crush their wives’ hearts and deprive the poor, and they will suffer for it now and later.

A virtuous woman is loved by all and praised by husband and children (Pr 31:28-31; Acts 9:36-42), but her greatest glory is yet to come, when the High King of heaven will take special notice of her charity before the universe (Mat 10:40-42; 25:31-40; I Tim 6:17-19).