Why Is the Bible So Adamant about Helping the Poor?
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- Updated Feb 24, 2023
There are three groups of people God continuously mentions in the Bible whom Christians should be caring about and watching out for in life: the widows, the orphans, and the poor. Today we are going to talk about the importance of caring for one of these groups, the poor.
It can sometimes feel like an overwhelming responsibility to care for those in this category. However, with the power of the Holy Spirit and community, we can love in a way that is significant and impactful to show the love that Jesus has for the poor.
The Poor Are Valuable to Christ
Jesus valued and spoke of the poor many times. He believed that they were significant to His kingdom and worth including. Many times, Jesus was going to the poor and healing them, feeding them, and ministering to their needs. In Scripture, we see the King of Kings, who could have been building His name with royals and rulers, investing significant amounts of time into those who are poor and seemingly cannot offer him anything.
Luke 14:13-14 - “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Jesus made the point that we are not only to invite our friends, but also those who cannot pay us back. Loving the poor means selfless love like Jesus. He came to us who had nothing to offer Him, but He served us instead and welcomed us into His family. We were poor in spirit, but now we are rich through Jesus’s sacrifice.
The Poor Were Provided for in the Harvests
We see in the Israelite culture that God made special provisions for the poor in the laws.
Leviticus 19:9-10 - “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 foreigner. I am the Lord your God."
These laws made provisions for those who could not afford to eat or who were foreigners. This even was the Lord’s way of taking care of Ruth and Naomi in Ruth 2. Ruth would be in the line of Jesus’ genealogy. The Lord encouraged an attitude of sharing and giving. Where it would have been tempting to hoard and to take excess, this was intended for those who were in need as a blessing and provision from God.
When is the last time that you had extras? Maybe there is someone who could benefit from the help of food or supplies? We are called to live like Jesus. Are we thinking about the poor? Are we thinking about that single mom, that homeless ministry, or that struggling elderly person? Are we aware of the needs of those around us, or are we just living in our “own worlds” (Leviticus 25:35-36).
The Poor Refine Our Values
God instructs us to be openhanded, not tight-fisted with our resources (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). It is a ministry to others when we walk with surrendered postures towards money and worldly possessions. When we say our lives are about Jesus and His kingdom, we are then invited to model and live out this belief in the way that we view generosity.
When we are sensitive to the needs of others and show compassion, we reveal our hearts. Matthew 6:21 says it well, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If we are treasuring our finances, food, homes, clothing, and resources more than the hurting people around us, our treasure is in temporary things and not eternity. God gives us Spirit-led opportunities to die to our idols, our “treasures,” and keep Him first in our hearts and actions. When we are called to make sacrifices for the poor, it refines our own values and convicts our hearts of anything we are placing above Jesus.
The Lord Desires Justice for the Poor
Many times, those in needy situations did not get there through their own faults. Sometimes those who are the most vulnerable have been greatly abused and taken advantage of by others. We are called to care for them and point them to places to receive justice when needed.
Psalm 140:12 - “I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”
Sometimes due to lack of resources, people in these circumstances do not have the means to fight against the injustices which have been done to them. As believers in Jesus, this is where we can step in and help connect them with those who can help and be an advocate for them, and ultimately witness to them through it. In showing that we care about their physical justice, we can also reveal the great gift of salvation through Jesus.
Loving the Poor Shows Love to God
Proverbs 14:31 - “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
When we show love and kindness to the poor, we are worshiping and loving our Creator. He made all people in His image and we are taking time to care for those who are His creations. Jesus said, in Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Next time we have the opportunity to reach out and help the poor and those in need, may we think about Jesus. We can remember His value of the people in front of us and that we are ultimately loving Him when we show love to them. The Bible is clear that we are to care for and love the poor. May we be actively obedient in this calling today.
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