Jesus said, “You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have Me.” (Mark 14:6-8 NLT). Some opportunities to do good are with us every day—like reading our Bibles, praying, being kind to others, and helping the poor. The Lord notices the poor and has a compassionate heart toward them. He also notices our heart toward the poor. If He were here today, in body form, He would frequently be looking for the poor and reaching out to them with food, money, clothing, healing, shelter, etc. Jesus is here—He lives in us, and we are commissioned to do His work. If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you! (Proverbs 19:17 NLT).
I can’t quite picture the Lord asking me for a couple of bucks or a bus pass or a meal, but when a person in need asks these things of me, I have a golden opportunity to lend a couple bucks or a bus pass or a meal to Jesus. Once, Jesus was at a dinner, and He offered some advice… Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be — and experience — a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned — oh, how it will be returned! — at the resurrection of God's people" (Luke 14:12-14 MSG).
There’s something so satisfying in giving a gift or aid to someone who has no way to repay the kindness. God’s amazing law of sowing and reaping proves true every time we exercise it, for His graciousness, kindness, and provision are extended to the recipient as well as the giver. Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed (Proverbs 28:27 NLT). Our motive in helping the poor must never be to gain rewards for ourselves, but the truth is that the Lord showers us with a variety of blessings, as listed in Psalm 41:1-3 (NLT): Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. All that from being kind to the poor!
An angel told Cornelius, who was a captain in the Italian Regiment of the Roman military and noted as one who gave generously to the poor, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!” (Acts 10:5 NLT) Note the exclamation point at the end of the angel’s words. An exclamation point indicates forceful utterance or strong feeling, as in shouting. There are shouts in heaven when we give to the poor! So, extend your hands to the poor and make some noise!
© 2020, Chris Werre