Loving the PoorExemplo

Honor God

There is a Proverb that says, “The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker, but the one who is kind to the needy honors Him.” Proverbs is a great book on monetary issues and on the poor, in particular. When we help the poor, we are actually honoring God. If you want to insult God, then look down upon somebody who cannot give you anything back. We honor God by honoring those in need.  

Now, there are some of things I would like to share with you as you begin to open your life to honoring those in need. Number one, be wise and safe. There is no need to put yourself in dangerous situations, such as visiting the homeless late at night in a dark alley all by yourself. I would never suggest you do so. Use wisdom and discernment when you are wanting to help the poor. 

Number two, acknowledge that as much as you can give to a person in need, there are some people who will not want to change. They will not want to change their situation and may even reject the gospel when you share it with them. 

The third thing is that there are some people who will take advantage of you. This is why it is so important to ask the Spirit for wisdom. Loving the poor does not require you to walk around handing out all your money to them. Boundaries are necessary and an appropriate thing in ministering the poor. 

Number four is to understand that some may want the help, but will take a very long time to make changes. This may be due to addictions or habits. They may need to enter some sort of rehab or get training to get out of the situation they are in. Giving them a bottle of water or meal will not be enough for them. They will need guidance to truly get out of their situation. 

I encourage you to ask God how you can begin to love on the poor. Pray this prayer today:

“Father God, I want to honor You. I want to be Your hands and feet here on Earth and want to love people. I want to honor those in need. Guide me with Your Spirit so that I know where to begin. I want to see people with Your eyes Lord, so that I can help them. Fill me with wisdom and compassion. In Your name I pray, amen.”