A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 41.
“Blessed is the one who considers the poor!” (Psalm 41:1)
The bible reminds us that not only will there always be poor among us. The psalmist reminds us we aren’t supposed to ignore them, dismiss them, condemn them, or complain about them, but consider them. Don’t just look at the need. Look at the person.
There are many ways to be poor.
- You may be poor in material things.
- You might be short on hope. You’re life isn’t going anywhere, and you’re out of fuel.
- You’re feeling empty when it comes to love. You feel like no one really cares, or you missed out on finding love in your life.
- Some have little or no knowledge of God. They are spiritually impoverished.
Once again, don’t focus on what’s lacking. Focus on the person. Get to know them. Sure, you may be able to provide what they need. But make sure you find out what they really need. A meal? An education? A Bible? A friend? Some groceries for the week? Or a ride to church? Conversation or encouragement?
A number of years ago I suggested to my church that they start a food pantry. That way, instead of just throwing a few dollars or bags of food at a program, we could get to know the people in our community who need assistance. We could get to know those around us who have needs, who are the “poor” that we are called to care about.
God has a soft spot in his heart for the poor. I think that’s because he knows we’re all poor. And he loves us all so much. We have nothing to offer compared to his great love for us. But that doesn’t bother him. He’s willing to give us everything, even his own son, to give us life.
Waite for it... 