HEART FOR THE POOR
Eva Haglund
Today there are many people who are poor. There are many who do not have food. Some do not care about the poor and we can find egoism and lack of love. Some look down at the poor. This happens also in some churches.
This is not what God wants. Jesus identifies with the poor. He came as newborn baby unto a stable. He did not come to a castle or a palace but to a simple stable. He did not just think about Himself. He was a giver and He gave everything, including His life for us at the cross because of His love for us. Jesus has love and compassion.
Jesus took the two bread and the seven fish as the boy gave Him and blessed them. It multiplied and it was a help for many. People were listening to His teaching and then they needed to eat. We can see here that Jesus also thought about the poor.
He taught a parable in Luke 10 that a man was robbed and was wounded and did not have money, but the Samaritan by showing compassion in his big trouble. Jesus wants us to show compassion and help people. In Philippians 4:10 -14 we read when Paul had lack and Christians helped him. We also read in Acts 3:6 "Silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." He did not have any money here either.
In James 2:1 is written "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ , the Lord of glory with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel and there should also come in a man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place" and say to the poor man, "You stand here or sit at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
Sometimes people who are begging and other people who are poor are looked down at. The value of a human being is not in the clothes. Jesus did not look down at the poor. He said in Matt 25:40, "Assuredly I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to Me." Here we see that He cares about the poor,too.
Sometimes among Christians there is little care about the poor . Some are not interested in helping them. There can be people sometimes who hardly have any food and people do not think it is important to help. There are other Christians who have a warm heart and have a heart of caring for the poor. In Acts we can see how they cared about each other when some did not have food. We read in Acts 2:44, "Now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need."
I do not think we all need to sell our possessions and divide them but I think that you can understand the heart they had for each other. When anyone was in a need, lacking food, they helped each other. When Christians live closer to each with more fellowship and friendship, it is easier to see if anybody is poor. We read in Acts 2:46 that they had fellowship in houses and shared the bread. It needs to be restored more of this fellowship among Christians. The Bible also teach us to show hospitality. In 1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to each other without grumbling."
To care about the poor we read James 2:15 where it is written, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one says them "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit?" Our faith ought to be shown in works. Love is to show practical care and love is greatest.
When Jesus was with His disciples near the sea in John 21 He made bread and gave to His friends. He gave them fish as He had prepared and fixed a warm fire when they came from the sea. It could be cold and He talked with them. He showed care and love and shared His bread with others.
Sometimes today there are Christian conferences which cost money but the poor cannot come because they cannot afford it. I think that these conferences ought to be for all, also for the poor. Church is also meant for the poor - not just for them who have enough money. If the poor are welcome to conferences it is also a testimony to relatives around.
This is agape love and is a testimony to the world. The Gospel is also for the poor and church ought to be a welcoming church for the poor.
I think about Jesus who had to stay in a stable and was not welcome into a house. There are also prophets who are left out from meetings because they are poor. The heavenly Daddy has a heart of love and compassion and we see in the parable of the lost son His heart of caring and He rushed towards the son. He cares for all people and He cares about the poor.
We read in Matt:14:14, "And when Jesus went out He saw a great great multitude and He was moved with compassion for them. "He took the five loaves and the two fish as He got from the boy and blessed them, broke the bread and gave them and the fish to the disciples to give it to people. I think He also thought of the poor among the people here. He had a heart for them and cared about them.
There are people who are poor around us and we cannot help all but we can help some if we have anything to give who we meet in our way. We need to share our bread and in Isaiah 58:6 - 8 we read, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every joke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out, when you see the naked that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then you light shall break forth like the morning. Your healing shall spring forth speedily. And your righteousness shall go before you and. The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard."
God also gives back when we help the poor. We can bless also Jews who are poor. Sometimes there also poor Jews in Body of Christ - Messianic Jews. Anyone who blesses Israel God will bless. We read in Genesis 12:3 it is good to bless Israel and the Jewish people.
We need to share our bread and Jesus shared His bread. Jesus also showed the greatest love to us at Calvary.
In John 3:16 is written "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Yeshua/Jesus gave His Bread. He gave His life for us because of His love.
