Christian Sense: poor

Showing posts with label poor. Show all posts

September 20, 2024

Be Kind to Jesus

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD

And He will give a reward to the lender.

– Proverbs 19:17

Who are the poor? Do they look like you? Do they live in your community? Are they lazy? Are they children with parents who don’t care? Are they women escaping violence? Are they the person sitting next to you on that church pew?

Increasingly, we have no care for the poor. We’ll gather items for shoeboxes. We’ll contribute diapers or clothes to an organization of our choosing. We might even put a few cans of food into a donation box for the food pantry.

But we don’t want to do anything that might get our hands dirty. We don’t want to associate with people who don’t look like us or speak the same language we speak. We really don’t want to see the poor or associate with them.

Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

The king will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

– Matthew 25:35-40

Our world is filled with hate and entitlement. We proclaim a faith we don’t live. We quote scripture but refuse to live it out in our own lives.

Don’t tell me what the Bible says. Show me. Get your hands dirty. Make a sacrifice for someone you don’t know who can never repay you. Do the right thing even when the wrong thing would be far easier and less costly.

Following Jesus was never meant to be easy. Stop thinking that it is.

September 20, 2024

Be Kind to Jesus

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD

And He will give a reward to the lender.

– Proverbs 19:17

Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel?

The king will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

– Matthew 25:35-40

Our world is filled with hate and entitlement. We proclaim a faith we don’t live. We quote scripture but refuse to live it out in our own lives.

Following Jesus was never meant to be easy. Stop thinking that it is.

July 2, 2022

What Do You See?

Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. – Habakkuk 1:3b

Murder happens throughout our land. Violence and sin are everywhere. We demand justice from God. We plead with Him to change our nation and turn us back to simpler times when life was easier and filled with rules we could understand.

We point fingers and demand justice. We look down and condemn what makes us uncomfortable. We are certain that we are right and we brandish the Bible as a weapon to those who are different. We harshly judge even as we build our lives, our palaces if you will, on sand.

We know about the plank and the speck (Matthew 7:3-5). But we don’t really think it applies to us. We are so certain that we are right that we fail the most basic test of love.

A sweet woman I know lives in public housing and struggles daily to provide for her daughter. It would be easy to condemn her. From the outside, anyway. I know many people who would judge and call her names. You’ve heard it all. Lazy. Bad choices. It’s her own fault. I could go on. But none of it would be true. She’s a college-educated woman who works two jobs to provide for them. She is an inspiration to all who know her.

The hard truth isn’t so pretty. Most of you wouldn’t bother to get to know her. She’s poor. She’s doesn’t move in your circles. She may sit next to you on your pew. She may sing in the choir. But she doesn’t fit your version of success. She doesn’t have the trappings of a large house, nice cars and expensive vacations. You may not say it out loud but you look down on her. And in so doing you elevate yourselves. Shame on you! Shame on all of us!

Habakkuk first questioned God about how He could ignore such sin from His people. Then Habakkuk worried that the punishment would be too horrific. But God made it clear that sin won’t go unpunished forever. God is patient and merciful but He sees it all. God sees when you cheat someone in business. God sees when your heart becomes haughty and you fail to be generous and merciful.

We look around at the state of our nation and quickly point fingers at everyone else. We judge what we do not know based on circumstances we’ve never endured. And we justify ourselves because everyone else does it. But we’re not supposed to be like everyone else. We’re supposed to do better because of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us.

Do you truly love Jesus? Then show mercy and kindness. Extend a helping hand. Hang out with people who aren’t like you. Be Jesus in this dark and hurting world.

August 30, 2021

Walk Away

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. – Colossians 2:8

What do you believe? Why? It’s easy to throw out Jesus’ name. It isn’t so easy to truly believe what He says.

Jesus looked around and saw the good in people who perhaps hadn’t live an exemplary life. And He saw the evil among the religious elite who were so busy following their own manmade rules that they missed the Messiah.

A major topic nowadays involves all the available jobs and the mistaken belief that people simply won’t work. Yeah. I know. Some people truly are lazy and refuse to work. But that’s not true of everyone. In fact, it’s not true of anyone that I personally know. How about you?

I know people who can’t work right now because of illness. Cancer is a horrible disease. So is Covid. Should those people be condemned for not being able to work right now? What about the widow struggling to care for a sick child? Is she a deadbeat because she refuses to place her disease-ridden child in a daycare?

Where do we draw the line between laziness and despair? How do we fairly judge between the worthy and unworthy? We don’t. It’s not our job or our place. Jesus said to love everyone. He flatly stated to do good to the poor. He never once said to hoard your earthly treasures and condemn people who aren’t exactly like you. But we do it anyway.

I expect that from people who don’t know Jesus. How could they possibly understand Jesus’ love for the poor and downtrodden? They don’t realize the need to do good to others. But people of faith? People who proclaim Jesus as LORD and Savior? Those putdowns sting because they reveal a heart distanced from God.

None of us get it all right or all wrong. We don’t. We’re all guilty of derogatory comments we shouldn’t make, of judgements we have no place pronouncing. The challenge for us is to walk away when someone says something that doesn’t come from Jesus – especially when it’s something we really want to believe.

July 18, 2021

God Doesn’t Have Favorites

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” – Acts 10:34-35

I’ve never understood why some Americans believe that God favors the United States above all other nations except, perhaps, Israel. It’s not in the Bible. In fact, we are told again and again that God loves everyone equally. Yet some cling tightly to the belief that we are somehow favored above all others.

That belief fuels so much discord and hatred. We look down on people who speak in a different language or have different cultures. We angrily condemn the poor as “lazy” and the unwed mother as “promiscuous.” We don’t know their stories but we judge and condemn them as though we do.

“Not in my neighborhood,” we shout. “Stay out of our country,” we spew. “We don’t want that kind in our church,” we explain. “They should help themselves,” we insist. We are full of justifications and excuses for why refuse to do what God commanded us to do.

Love people. Welcome people. Extend a helping hand. Not send money to a foreign land or pray for someone while keeping them far away and not telling people they are welcome after they clean up their lives. We don’t want to be inconvenienced. We don’t want to actually do the work. We don’t want to kneel down and wash another’s feet.

We are better than others. It’s what we believe in our hearts. Except those same hearts are getting judged by the only One who truly sees. What does God see when He looks into your hearts?

November 13, 2019

Be Kind to Everyone

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

Kindness has become a “thing.” You know. It’s having a moment of popularity in a world that seems increasingly filled with violence and hatred.

Except kindness was always supposed to be a thing. It’s part of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s part of who we are called to be as children of God.

We know that. We do. Except for the exceptions. We don’t believe we should have to be kind – or nice – to people who aren’t kind to us. That whole love your enemies thing just isn’t reality. That’s what we tell ourselves and others anyway.

And surely we shouldn’t be expected to be kind to people who don’t have a job. We don’t need to know their story to understand that they’re nothing more than deadbeats expecting the rest of us to carry them. We don’t care what the Bible says about taking care of the poor. Surely God wasn’t talking about “those” kinds of people.

Let’s not even talk about being kind to liberals (or conservatives). They don’t have a clue of what it’s like to be a real Christian. They kill babies, give everything we’ve worked for to the poor and want to hand our country over to the communists. We don’t need to hear what they have to say.

We don’t need to bother with strangers. Why should we show kindness to someone we don’t know, someone who really can’t do anything for us? We’ll gladly help God’s people so long as they look, act and live like us. But only if we can give money. We’re just too busy to serve in any other way.

Anybody can show kindness to someone we know and love. We show our faith, we show Jesus, when we’re kind to everyone. Remember: It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s about Him. Every time you slight someone, look down on someone, or refuse compassion, you are doing the same to Jesus.

November 17, 2018

What Are You Doing?

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of the sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18-19

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

– John 12:32

Our Sunday school class has been studying Why I Am A United Methodist by William H. Willimon. It’s a wonderful book that gets back to the basics of what being a Methodist is all about. It’s also a good reminder that no matter what denomination you claim as your own, we are called to something larger than ourselves.

John Wesley preached to the least. He didn’t set up a single preaching post in the wealthier boroughs of London. Willimon writes: He used the Methodist movement as an example of how God begins with those whom the world regards as lowly and of little account before God tries much with the rich and powerful.

Do you think that might be because the rich and powerful don’t always realize how much they need a Savior? Have you considered that the folks who have so much might believe deep inside that their money, their possessions, their abilities are what will save them in the end?

Wesley was all about people. He turned Anglican beliefs upside down. Why? Because he believed that religion was meant to be lived. It’s not enough to know that we should do good to the poor. We must live our faith through our actions. Sounds a great deal like James, doesn’t it?

There’s one true thing about the broken and the poor. There’s a common denominator among those who are sick and those who have lost it all. We are humbled by our circumstances. We know how fragile life truly is. We understand the limits of our human abilities. We are filled with compassion because we understand that no matter how hard life may seem, we are still so blessed by the Holy Spirit. We want to share the Good News. We want to share Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to save those who had all the answers. He didn’t come to lift up those who considered themselves a little above everyone else. Jesus came for the lost, the poor, the broken. He came for you and me.

A local restaurant will head toward the coast this Thanksgiving. The world has moved on but there are still so many people who are homeless and broken in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. It takes a village and a village has responded. Donations have poured in. Volunteers are lined up. One meal has now become three. More than 750 meals in three different locations. God’s hands at work.

We worry so much about having enough. We recruit the wealthy, we beg for money, we don’t see a way. We forget in all our humanness that we don’t need to worry about bank accounts and budgets. We only need to ask our Savior for His will, knowing that He will provide for and bless what He has ordained.

Jesus took a couple of fish and some bread and fed thousands. We forget that, don’t we? We forget that when we offer our small portion to the least, Jesus multiplies it for the masses. We don’t think we are enough but with Jesus we can provide an abundance.

Jesus came for everyone. He said He would draw others to Himself. We are His hands and feet. People who are hurting, people who are lost, will know Jesus because of our actions. Reach out. Show them His love. People need Jesus. What are you doing to shine His light so that all may see?

July 9, 2018

Are You Christ’s Enemy?

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

– Philippians 3:18

Who do you most admire? Who do you want to be like? Who makes you want to be more than you are today?

Some, wanting to answer correctly, will mention Billy Graham or another great pastor. Others, not understanding the point, will talk about their parents or teachers or other great influences on their lives.

But there is only One that stands above them all. There is only One whom we should admire and strive to be like. Jesus. He is our example of how we should live.

We don’t see ourselves as enemies of Christ. But how many times each day do we deny Him by our actions or our words or our attitudes?

We make excuses. We tell ourselves and others that “It’s just my opinion.” Or “I really don’t like her (him).” Or “I’m just so tired. I’ll skip church so I can sleep in.” Or “I really need some time off and Sunday is the only day I have to go fishing or to the beach or for a bike ride.” Need I continue?

What do you prioritize? What comes first in your life? Who matters most? What would you do to defend them, to spend time with them, to enjoy them? Where does Jesus fit in all that?

I know. I’m asking a lot of questions. It’s not until we ask ourselves some tough things, and give honest answers, that we come to understand that we really can be enemies of Christ without even realizing it.

Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. – Philippians 3:19

We become so focused on ourselves that we forget that our focus should be on Him. We are so intent on what we believe that we forget our beliefs should reflect Him. We are so hardhearted that we condemn those we don’t know and judge hearts we can’t see.

And how dare anyone threaten what we think belongs to us. We don’t want to share. We just don’t. We declare our rights as American citizens, as hard workers, as defenders of the constitution. We cling tightly to things of this world, never really considering that we aren’t citizens of this world.

We demand that what others have be given to us. We don’t intend to make sacrifices. We want the best without having to go above and beyond ourselves to get it. No. I’m not talking about welfare recipients, illegal immigrants or the disabled. I’m talking about you. There’s a lot of abuse of our system, a lot of people taking advantage of government programs. I see it everywhere. And you know what? Every single instance of it belongs to someone loftily looking down on those they consider to be lazy and undeserving. They condemn people who are truly in need in a disgusting attempt to justify greedily taking advantage of the system themselves.

Are you denying Jesus? Are you His enemy? Think about it.

February 15, 2018

Be Careful How You Judge

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. – Deuteronomy 15:11

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. – Proverbs 21:13

She is a good person. A prayer warrior. Someone who is generous with friends and family. She is quick to smile and devoted to her church.

She only turns ugly when it comes to the poor. She has no sympathy or compassion. “They should get a job,” she spews out. “If they couldn’t afford children, they shouldn’t have had them! I’m not going to support them.” Need I go on?

This is a woman who went from her Daddy’s house to her husband’s house. She has never, ever supported herself. Her “work” has been to sometimes help her husband at their business. Her child is an adult. And, yes, she hires someone to clean her house.

I’m not faulting her for her life. As I said, she truly is a wonderful person. But that hard heart!? It sure does dull her testimony.

Before you fault her or justify her words, take a moment to consider yourself. We are all a product of our upbringing, our place of birth, our choices. Our personalities weigh in, with some people weathering storms with little impact while others are destroyed. Why the differences? Does anyone but God know?

Have you ever had someone tell you to “get over” something? Have you ever cried out at the unfairness of heartbreak or job loss or misdirection? Have you ever begged God for answers, for help, for comfort during the storm?

We’re not so different, you and I and those we condemn for their station in life. I doubt they chose to be poor or homeless or addicted. It doesn’t make them bad people. It doesn’t make them lazy. Some of the hardest working people I know work more than one job trying to feed their families and keep a roof over their head. One illness, one extra bill, can send them on a spiral to financial disaster.

Where is our compassion? Why do we think we somehow have the right to judge their story when we have walked a different path? Where is the grace and mercy God has shown us?

I am not excusing those who truly are too lazy to work. I’m not telling anyone to enable someone in the throws of addiction or bad decision making. What I am saying is that none of us have the right to judge someone else’s story.

Watch your words. If it isn’t kind, don’t say it. Be careful how you judge. Let the world see Jesus in what you say and do.

February 9, 2018

Be Jesus To The Least Of Them

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. – James 2:10

He is a good man. He loves Jesus. He volunteers with his church. He volunteers with a men’s ministry. Sometimes he helps friends and neighbors.

One might say he is overly ambitious in his love for the Lord. His service is spotty. He makes many promises but he only keeps some. He doesn’t mean to do that. It’s just that he makes too many commitments and fails to remember most of them.

His heart intends to do good. His actions say dishonest and undependable. I have found him to be wonderful in an emergency. He is present and good and helpful. Just don’t count on him during the long run. He won’t show up.

Another friend once ran a ministry. He was great at the speaking events. He was a hard worker during the fundraiser and a passionate advocate for checks to good causes. But when it came to changing a light bulb for an elderly church member, well, he couldn’t be bothered. He was awesome in the prominent, glorifying arena. But he didn’t care much for service that would never be noticed by anyone but the recipient.

I don’t mean to pick on the men of faith. Women can and are just as bad. They are careful to run meetings and write checks. Please don’t ask them to wash dishes or take food to someone who is poor. It just won’t happen. They’re just too busy.

They are us. It clearly violates Jesus’ teaching but we turn a blind eye to that. We may say it’s all about Him but, really, we want it to be all about us.

We are the do-gooders. We want to do good. We mean to do good. We just get so busy, so distracted, so focused on what looks good and feels good that we miss the poor, the elderly, the sick. Because helping isn’t about offering up a prayer or a check, no matter how wonderful those things are.

Being Jesus means showing up during the hard times. It means getting dirty when the situation calls for manual labor. It means buying groceries and doing the laundry and sitting with someone in a hospital so the family member can actually go outside for a break.

When the day is done, it isn’t the lofty promises that people remember. It isn’t the checks that they recall. What matters most is the gift of time. It is the helping hand that remembered to show up. It is the smile and hug that lifted a worn spirit. It is the gracious kindness of walking a worn path with someone who was tired, hurting, alone.

Don’t make promises you won’t keep. And don’t write a check and call yourself good. Show up. It matters. Be Jesus to the least of them on this earth.

January 27, 2018

Help Where You Can

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. – Proverbs 19:17

I had heard about the organization and this amazing woman who gave of herself to help others. She was the lifeline for those who were homeless, jobless, without food or shelter. She was the wise counsel for those wanting to help but not wanting to enable.

So I went to hear her speak, to learn the specifics of the call God had placed on her life. It was refreshing. She didn’t ask for money. She’d be happy to take it but it wasn’t the purpose of her talk.

She needed clothing donations, including shoes. She told of the woman who came in barefoot and asking for help. She didn’t ask for shoes. Honestly, when you are hungry and without a place to stay shoes lose their importance. She left with shoes on her feet and the help she needed.

Why do people end up in such desperation? Sometimes it is bad choices, drugs or alcohol. Sometimes it is a job loss. Other times it is escape from abuse or an illness that takes everything we thought we had.

We are quick to judge, aren’t we? A sweet friend commented the other day about “all those people on disability”. I reminded her that we can’t always look at someone and determine if they should be disability or not. Heart attacks, cancer, MS and other debilitating health issues aren’t always evident to an outsider. She agreed.

Whatever the issues, the needs are varied and the help should be too. Unfortunately, government programs are often tied up in rules and regulations. This woman receives no money from the government. She doesn’t apply for grants or other sources of funding. She relies on the generosity of churches and individuals who see a need and help.

This lack of regulation helps her meet the actual needs before her. Sometimes it does mean contacting government agencies. Other times it’s providing help with a job application, or finding childcare or housing or any number of issues. People need proper clothing for a job interview. They need a bath. And food. It seems that people are always needing food in this country of abundance.

She doesn’t have a large staff of volunteers. It’s just her and, when he’s not working his “regular” job, her husband. She’s blessed – her words – to have several churches she can call to step up and help. My church is one of them. We are blessed to have someone who can help us determine real need.

She’s the first to say don’t give anyone money directly. If their electricity has been turned off, pay the utility company. If they’re behind on their rent, pay the landlord. If they need food, give them food. People make bad choices, sometimes because they really don’t know any better.

Oh, yes, she also provides budgeting lessons. Because how we handle what God gives us helps determine how we live our lives and care for ourselves and our children.

Is she impacting the lives of thousands? Not at all. The number she’s able to help can seem small. But she is doing what she can where she is. She is changing lives one person at a time. Really, that’s all God has ever asked of any of us. Help the person right in front of us and trust Him with the rest.

January 26, 2018

Cloak Comments With Grace, Mercy

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. – Proverbs 31:8-9

Immigration is an issue. Always. The children of those who came to the United States illegally has become a push point for many. We live in a land where skin color continues to be an issue. We want to “choose” who can come based on their country of origin rather than who they are as individuals.

Welfare is another major point of disagreement. Misinformation is everywhere. Illegals get thousands while seniors get so little. Seriously? It’s just so much easier to believe lies than to look for the truth.

That misinformation fuels hate. We have left compassion and kindness and love behind. And we do it all while holding high the banner of Jesus. Does anyone else see the absurdity of it all?

Jesus was filled with compassion and mercy. He gave grace to all. No. He didn’t condone sin. In fact, He said to go and sin no more. But He did extend forgiveness. We’ve forgotten that.

We deserve better, we tell ourselves. They did wrong, we remind them again and again. We behave as though all the money and all the land in this country actually belongs to us. It doesn’t. Everything comes from God. Where is He in all this?

Years ago I lived in a state with a wonderful program for job skill training for people receiving welfare. It was awesome. The problem was people, especially women, weren’t moving forward and keeping those jobs. It caused quite an outcry.

At least it did until someone wisely investigated the situation. They found that when the job training ended and the job began, childcare benefits ended. No one at a minimum wage job can afford housing, food, medical care and day care.

Of course, the outcry rose that “they shouldn’t have had those children if they can’t take care of them!” Who can argue with that? But the reality is that the children existed and needed care. So the state extended benefits at a graduated level. As the pay level rose, the benefits decreased until the worker was fully self-supporting. It was a win-win for everyone.

I don’t have answers to this current debate. I don’t think anyone really does. But if you want to use Jesus’ name in all this, be sure to cloak your comments with grace and mercy not greed and judgement. Every time you use His name to condemn the poor or the outcast, you are condemning yourself. Think about that for a while.

January 19, 2018

Love and Care For the Poor

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. – Proverbs 29:7

It happened again. She was sneering at someone struggling financially. Her retort, “She needs to get a job.” Well, yeah. She’s tried. And she’s still trying.

It’s not the first time I’ve heard her make the ugly comment about someone. Male or female. Young or old. It doesn’t matter. She looks down on anyone who is poor. Sadly, though not surprising, she doesn’t have a job of her own. It’s nice when you go from your Daddy’s house to your husband’s without ever having to work to support yourself. It gives you plenty of time to judge others.

I think she’d be shocked by this proverb. She is a woman of deep faith. Really. She is. But like so many people who loudly proclaim their conservative agenda, she’s quite choosy about which passages of her Bible she holds close.

Yes, we are to work. God’s word makes that clear. But we are also to show kindness and compassion to those who are poor. And we are not to judge. Honestly, we usually don’t have a clue about what’s going on in someone else’s life.

The hard truth is that there are people in our country who work two and three jobs to support themselves and their families. Housing, food, insurance. That doesn’t even touch on clothing, school supplies, car maintenance or transportation costs. Throw in an illness or two and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

Who takes care of the poor? Who helps get job training? Who provides the helping hand? Can you hear it? Yes. That’s the chorus of conservative Christians blasting away at the government handouts. What are they doing to “fix” the problem? Well, nothing that will actually cause them to get their hands dirty.

Are there people who take advantage of the system? Of course there are. But there are many, many good people who are struggling to make it on their own. They just need help for a time.

In a perfect world, the churches – that means you and me – would step up and provide that helping hand. But we’re so busy condemning and judging that we can’t give help.

Well, except for a program in a nearby town. They meet once a week in a local church. The mentors, men and women of different faiths, and those they are hoping to guide to a different life. It isn’t about lectures or classes. It’s about friendship and guidance. They are helping people take a different path, make better choices, envision a life that once seemed impossible.

Are they changing the world? No. But they are changing one person at a time and that ripple goes out farther than any of us could ever imagine.

It is just so easy to condemn the poor without ever trying to understand or offer personal help. That goes again everything the Bible teaches us.

February 18, 2016

Show the Poor Compassion

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. -- Proverbs 14:31

It’s so frustrating to see all those ugly posts that pop up on Facebook and are aimed at the poor. They assume that if someone is poor, that person is also too lazy to work. What’s worse? Many of those people are Christians who don‘t see a problem with their attitude.

Are there people who receive welfare, food stamps and Medicaid who are too lazy to work? I’m sure there are. But the majority? Not even close.

Let me tell you about a few I know. One is an older woman who worked until two strokes took her eyesight. She doesn’t have enough money for utilities, food and medicine. Food is often the last on her list. Fortunately, the senior citizen director noticed her weight loss and got her signed up for food stamps.

Another man searched for a job for two years. He and his wife both worked for the same company -- until it closed down. Nobody wanted to hire a middle-aged man. He was either two qualified or not qualified enough. He was desperate. Yes, they received food stamps for themselves and two children. He finally got a job cleaning houses. His wife got a minimum wage job at a gas station. Were they too lazy to work? No. They just couldn’t find a job. Until you’ve walked in their shoes, don’t judge.

What about the young mother whose husband left her? She has no job skills and two children who require care. Yeah. I know. There’s always somebody to condemn her for having children. Or choosing the wrong man for their father. But here’s the reality: She is only qualified for a minimum wage job. That won’t support her and two children, especially when she must pay for childcare. And we won’t even talk about lost pay when one or both of the children get sick. She needs a helping hand, not a judgmental lecture.

One thing I’ve always noticed about those who judge: they don’t have a clue. I had hoped that the economic downturn would turn more folks into compassionate people. Some missed out all around.

For we who claim Christ as Savior, it should never be an issue. We are called to be kind and compassionate to the poor. We are told repeatedly not to judge. Why do we think it’s okay to do both -- and do it publicly? It’s one of the many reasons the unsaved condemn Christians as being hypocrites. Shame on us all!

　

February 18, 2015

What Are You Giving God?

You cannot fast as you do today

and expect your voice to be heard on high.

-- Isaiah 58:4b

I've never really understood the giving up of something for Lent. How does giving up Diet Coke or chocolate bring us closer to God?

People have tried to explain it to me. Every time you crave whatever you have given up, you think of God and it draws you closer to Him. Actually, I think it would just make me irritable. And I don't think it impresses God at all.

What is God looking for? The answers are found in Isaiah 58.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter --

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

-- Isaiah 58:6-7

I guess that explains it all. We'd rather choose to give something up rather than do for the poor. We'd rather do something for our own benefit than to reach out and help someone who might never be able to do anything for us. We'd rather choose something that is convenient than get dirty or give up something we value, like our time.

God doesn't want empty gifts this Ash Wednesday. He has told us what matters to Him. If we are truly repentant, shouldn't this day be about God?

Saturday, October 13, 2012

We Are To Help Those In Need

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

For the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

Defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

-- Proverbs 31:8-9

How do you choose whom you help? Or maybe you don’t help anyone? Maybe you’re one of those people who thinks writing a check to the “church” insures that you don’t have to get your own hands dirty?

All those who are now defensive please raise your hands? Yeah. Just what I thought. There’s a roomful of folks who don’t want to be bothered with those who are less fortunate.

In this political heat that is flaming all around us, it’s easy to get lost in the ridiculousness of it all. People should help themselves, some say. If people are poor, it’s their own fault, others chime in. This is the land of opportunity, after all. Anybody can achieve anything. Right?

Not necessarily. There are any number of reasons why someone might not achieve the American dream, including education, economics, health and abilities. Someone who has to drop out of high school to help support his or her family isn’t as likely to get ahead as someone who has a free ride to college and connections to get the “right” job after graduation.

That isn’t to say the opportunity isn’t there, just that it isn’t always possible. And we shouldn’t judge what we don’t know.

That said, we shouldn’t determine who deserves help based on what we see from the outside looking in. Yeah. I’m talking to you. We all do that to some degree and it leads to some really bad decisions.

Not long ago our church decided to help an older woman whose yard was overgrown. It was all good until one man found out that the woman had a son. Well, the man no longer wanted the church to help. The son should take care of his mother’s yard, he said adamantly.

Except that the son wasn’t physically able to do it anymore. He’d had back surgery and simply couldn’t. Oh. That changed things, though the man never apologized for his wrong attitude. Our church did the work.

Another situation we’re dealing with involves a woman in need and a daughter who simply doesn’t care and won’t help. So do we not help the woman? Of course we do! We must help, even as we pray for God to change the daughter’s heart. But we can’t walk away from a need because someone else should step up.

Nor can we walk away from a need simply because we look and judge without truly knowing the situation and circumstances. We’re to stand up for the poor and for those who can’t defend and care for themselves. We’ll be judged on what we do, not what someone else was supposed to do.

Monday, September 24, 2012

A Gift of Shoes Shocks Us All

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”

-- Mathew 25:34-36

The story was remarkable and that, in itself, was amazing. We don’t see sacrificial kindness to strangers and it stood out before us all.

A city bus driver said he’d asked God that morning to show him who he should help or show a kindness to. It wasn’t an unusual request for him, though I do wonder how many Christians would ever think of making a similar request of God.

As the bus driver drove his regular route he noticed a homeless man who was barefoot. He’d seen the man a day or so before and had noticed the man’s lack of shoes. It just so happened that the light was red and the bus driver was able to stop the bus safely, put on its flashers and exit the bus. He told a reporter that he asked the homeless man that if he had a pair of shoes, would he wear them. The man said yes. So the bus driver took off the shoes on his own feet and game them to the homeless man. And then he got back on the bus and continued his route.

Some might have criticized him for leaving his bus unattended. Others would chastise him for giving to a homeless person without checking the man out first. But the bus driver followed God’s call and did what he could, where he could.

We are a people who have a lot of stuff. We put stuff in storage so we can fill our homes with more stuff. We hold on to our stuff. Do you want to see a big fight? Mess with our stuff. We’re obsessed with it.

The only time we’re willing to give it away is when we’re done, it’s worn out, or we’re looking for a tax write-off. We don’t tend to follow that Biblical instruction to, if we have two coats, give one away to someone who doesn’t have one. After all, we might need it tomorrow.

How much nicer our world would be, how much kinder, if we’d all just do good things where we are rather than waiting for someone else -- the government, the church (that’s us, by the way!), or local charities -- to step up and do it. We don’t want to get involved. We don’t want to see the less fortunate. We don’t want to get dirty.

Please understand I’m not advocating giving money to every person standing at the end of a freeway ramp with a sign. Nor am I am suggesting that you ever put yourself in danger. But I do believe that we should all be aware of the people around us, those who are hurting, those who are in need, and follow God’s call even if it makes us squirm. Life isn’t always pretty but we are always Jesus’ representatives here on earth. It’s way past time we started acting like it.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

God’s Word Tells Us What To Do

And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’

“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.” -- Zechariah 7:8-12

Look around you. Everywhere you see and hear pious people bemoaning the state of our nation. The liberals are killing it, they proclaim. People should turn back to God to save it, they shout, certain they are voicing God‘s will.

Have they read the Bible? Really read it? Have they asked God what He wants or merely told God what they want to hear? Because what they proclaim and what I read in the Bible just aren’t the same thing at all.

I don’t have any answers to the illegal immigrant problem in our nation. I don’t know how to make people go to work or to find living wage jobs for those who do work. I don’t know how to make people care for their elderly relatives. I can’t force people to have compassion and provide opportunities to children without support and guidance.

I guess you could say that I don’t know much of anything. But I do know what God says. God says to show mercy and compassion. He warns us not to harden our hearts against His words, not to turn our backs on those in need.

And yet we do. Again and again. We “justify” our actions, our cruel words, our hard hearts. We tell people to get a job, and we quote Scripture that warns against laziness. We warn people to follow the law, and we quote Scripture that tells us to obey the laws of the land. We condemn sinners, and quote Scripture about how God has called us all to live.

We somehow seem to forget all those passages calling us to love and compassion and kindness. We ignore the words warning us against judging others. We skim past the words of Jesus as He extended forgiveness and a helping hand.

We forget that we are all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God. We all need God’s grace. And none of us deserve it. Not one. So why do we believe that it’s okay to place ourselves on a pedestal with rest of the world in a pit beneath our feet?

A dear friend, a deacon in a conservative Baptist church, told me he’s learned to quiet those criticisms in his own mind. He forces himself to imagine what it would be like to walk in the shoes of the person he’s judging and that changes his attitude right away. It opens his heart to love others as Jesus has called us to do.

Pious judgments turn people away from the very God who can save us all. Stop looking around for someone to blame for the state of our country and look in the mirror instead. Change starts with you and me doing what God has told us to do.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Don’t Give Up On Anyone

“And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” -- Matthew 15:40

The tweet was plain and simple, much like I imagine the man. Denver Moore died peacefully in his sleep and was now with Miss Debbie in heaven. Two lives forever entwined because one woman refused to give up on a man who had already given up on himself.

One of the best books I’ve ever read is titled Same Kind of Different As Me. Denver Moore and Ron Hall, Debbie’s husband, wrote it. The book alternates between Denver’s story and Debbie and Ron’s story. Of course, they all come together. It’s one of those things that happen when someone dares to step out in faith and follow where God leads.

How often do we do that? Probably not nearly as often as we should. We’re full of excuses and easily discouraged. But God never said following Him would be easy.

Debbie Hall found her way to a place helping the homeless. And she refused to give up on a man everyone else had said was too hard, too far gone, to help. Denver Moore was a tough case but she touched his life, and his heart, with her unfailing gift for sharing Jesus’ love with someone others wouldn’t have bothered with.

We get so caught up in our own lives, our own desires, our own issues, that we can’t see beyond them. We want to do good. We know we’re supposed to care for others. We’re okay with that so long as it’s convenient, doesn’t cost any money, and we don’t have to get dirty. Caring for someone who is homeless is all those things and more.

I am amazed sometimes at all of us. We don’t won’t to forgive people who have made mistakes. We blame them because they can’t get past those mistakes when the truth is we’re equally to blame because we can’t get past their mistakes either. We keep expecting them to fail. We forget that God can change anyone. And God never, ever gives up on His children.

At our church we have a new program titled Celebrate Recovery. It is a fabulous outreach that has brought some wonderful people into our congregation. People who probably wouldn’t have joined us without this program. It is our goal, our responsibility, to always make them feel welcome and wanted. To help where we can, to accept, to care.

One of the hardest things in the world is to look beyond ourselves and see those who are alone and hurting in the world. Whatever the reason for where they are at, God tells us to reach out and love them as He does. In whatever way we can, for however long it takes.

Because Debbie Hall didn’t give up, Denver Moore is with her and Jesus in heaven right now. And that was worth it all.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Do Your Actions Reflect Jesus?

Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord’s royal command found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you pay special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you are guilty of breaking that law. -- James 2:8-9

Last week Republican forerunner Mitt Romney said he wasn’t worried about the poor. There are enough government programs to take care of them, he said. He’s concerned about the middle class. I am too. I also wondered why he was ignoring the working poor.

But I’m most concerned about the Christians who cheered him on. It’s as though we’ve gotten so accustomed to making excuses for not doing good, that we don’t understand how far we are from what God has clearly commanded.

I am a cynic. Let me just say that right from the start. I’ve observed many, many instances where those in unfortunate circumstances have taken advantage of the system, they’ve played sob stories to unsuspecting good people, and they’ve squandered opportunities again and again.

That said, the Bible doesn’t say anything about first qualifying the poor as being “worthy” before we help them. As Christians, we’re to do what we can. We’re to share our excess with those in need. Whether we think they deserve it or not isn’t even a factor for us. We’re to do what God tells us to do and trust God to handle the worthiness part.

Beth Moore made an observation in her study on the book of James. She said that we used to focus on race as the great divide. Most folks know better now. So we’ve moved on to social class. Someone with a lot of bling gets better treatment than someone who doesn’t have any bling.

It’s as though we truly believe that someone who has a lot of stuff is more worthy than someone who doesn’t. We don’t necessarily intend to do it. We try to be fair and equitable. But there are the people “like” us and there are those who aren’t. And we treat them differently.

Part of it is strictly a comfort zone thing. We feel comfortable with people who share the same interests and neighborhood with us. We’re not quite sure how to deal with someone who is mentally ill, someone who is jobless, someone who is sick, someone who is homeless.

One of the saddest things to watch is when a person of means suddenly has a financial downfall. It could be through a job loss or illness. It doesn’t matter. But all their “friends” don’t have time for them anymore. People avoid them. And then they know, they see, they understand what it feels like to be treated differently by those they once admired and viewed as equals.

Sometimes being a Christian, really doing what God says to do, is uncomfortable. Sometimes it causes us to reach out to people we’d rather not know and confront issues and prejudices we never knew existed. Like Jesus. He showed us what to do. So why don’t we?