Over the years, I've heard several people explain the reasons that they aren't more involved in helping the poor. One of the reasons I heard was that "A focus on people's physical needs takes away time and attention that should be directed towards people's spiritual needs." While people who voice this objection generally have a good heart and good intentions, such a belief is not based on Scripture or an appropriate understanding of the world around them.
First of all, this reason is contrary to Scripture. Jesus tells a story of the end times where He separates out the sheep and the goats. (Mt. 25:31-40). He tells the sheep that they will inherit a kingdom because when Jesus was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick and in prison that the sheep had fed, clothed, sheltered and visited Him. The sheep respond by asking when did we ever see You hungry or thirsty. Jesus' response was "[T]o the extent that you di it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." Jesus was telling His listeners that there is eternal value in showing compassion for the physical needs of others. Even when caring for those who ars hungry or thirsty is not coupled with preaching, there is still inherent value in feeding, clothing and sheltering them. Not only is this work eternally valuable, it is as though we are caring for and showing compassion on God Himself.
Also, James 1:27 says "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress..." (NAS). Strong's Concordance indicates that the word distress, which can also be translated affliction, means "anguish, burden, persecution, tribulation, trouble." What are the burdens and troubles of widows and orphans? Some emotional, some spiritual, but surely as well a they are burdend with being able to provide for their physical needs. Scripture states that when we care for the needs of orphans and widows we engage in pure and undefiled religion. Pure and undefiled religion surely does not lack in spirituality or eternal value.
This only begins to scratch the surface of Scriptures indicating that caring for the poor has eternal significance. In addition to these Scriptures indicating that giving to the poor is a Spiritual act in and of itself, such concern for the needy also has side-effects of monumental Spiritual importance. These will be taken up soon, but in the mean time, let us not belittle as unworthy acts that God has deemed to be of supreme eternal value.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
What does Jesus say?
In Sunday School today the teacher made an interesting comment that was not directly related to the poor. However, that comment opened up a whole new pattern of thought for me. We were studying Matthew 11:2-6 and discussing faith, hope and doubts as illustrated in the life of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist had been preaching about the coming Messiah, had baptized Jesus, had heard God call Jesus His "beloved Son," and had even watched the Holy Spirit descend as a dove after Jesus' baptism. (Mt. 3). However, a few chapters later in Matthew 11, John the Baptist was no longer entirely sure that Jesus is the Messiah. Whether it was because John the Baptist was then in jail, because Jesus wasn't setting up an earthly kingdom, or because Jesus didn't act the way John the Baptist thought a Messiah should act, John now questioned whether Jesus was the "Expected One." John sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus this very question while John waited in prison for the answer.
Jesus answered the question by pointing to signs that He is the Messiah. He told the disciples to report to John about the things they had heard and seen. Then Jesus started listing the signs of His Messiahship, starting at the obviously miraculous signs: the blind see, lame walk, lepers are healed, deaf can hear, and dead people come alive again. Clearly these are all miraculous events that no other person could do. But then Jesus added in a sign of His Messiahship that doesn't seem to fit with the rest: "the poor have the gospel preached to them." Jesus' statemet refers back to an Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 61.
Interesting that one sign of Jesus' position as Messiah relates to the poor. This indicates that God is interested in and cares for the poor. However, beyond merely a general concern for the poor, the verse indicates that to be Christlike, we should prioritize preaching to the poor.
There is also significance in the fact that a sign of Jesus' position as Messiah was preaching to the poor and not providing for the physical needs of the poor. Although other Scriptures support helping the solve the bodily needs of the poor, the importance of caring for the Spiritual needs of the poor should ultimately have the same priority in the Church as it did with Christ.
How often Christians want to be able to replicate the other signs of Jesus' Messiahship. We pray for healing from physical ailments all the time. Yet very rarely do we give the same attention to preaching the gospel to the poor. Perhaps as Christ signalled His position as the Son of God by preaching to the poor, the Church could signal it's position as followers of Christ by preaching to the poor as well.
John the Baptist had been preaching about the coming Messiah, had baptized Jesus, had heard God call Jesus His "beloved Son," and had even watched the Holy Spirit descend as a dove after Jesus' baptism. (Mt. 3). However, a few chapters later in Matthew 11, John the Baptist was no longer entirely sure that Jesus is the Messiah. Whether it was because John the Baptist was then in jail, because Jesus wasn't setting up an earthly kingdom, or because Jesus didn't act the way John the Baptist thought a Messiah should act, John now questioned whether Jesus was the "Expected One." John sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus this very question while John waited in prison for the answer.
Jesus answered the question by pointing to signs that He is the Messiah. He told the disciples to report to John about the things they had heard and seen. Then Jesus started listing the signs of His Messiahship, starting at the obviously miraculous signs: the blind see, lame walk, lepers are healed, deaf can hear, and dead people come alive again. Clearly these are all miraculous events that no other person could do. But then Jesus added in a sign of His Messiahship that doesn't seem to fit with the rest: "the poor have the gospel preached to them." Jesus' statemet refers back to an Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 61.
Interesting that one sign of Jesus' position as Messiah relates to the poor. This indicates that God is interested in and cares for the poor. However, beyond merely a general concern for the poor, the verse indicates that to be Christlike, we should prioritize preaching to the poor.
There is also significance in the fact that a sign of Jesus' position as Messiah was preaching to the poor and not providing for the physical needs of the poor. Although other Scriptures support helping the solve the bodily needs of the poor, the importance of caring for the Spiritual needs of the poor should ultimately have the same priority in the Church as it did with Christ.
How often Christians want to be able to replicate the other signs of Jesus' Messiahship. We pray for healing from physical ailments all the time. Yet very rarely do we give the same attention to preaching the gospel to the poor. Perhaps as Christ signalled His position as the Son of God by preaching to the poor, the Church could signal it's position as followers of Christ by preaching to the poor as well.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Who are the poor?
As was suggested, there are many different interpretations of who Christians should consider as "the poor." What standard should we use in determining who Scripture is referring to when the words poor and needy appear?
There are several different definitions of poverty offered by governments and other organizations. There are also lots of less formal definitions of poverty. In looking for reliabe sources that offered well researched and thought-out definitions, I came across in the Urban Dictionary that claimed that being poor meant living without cable and videogames. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poor). Although amusing, this definition points out the heart of the difficulty in defining what it means to be poor. As standards of living rise in some places around the world, the definition of poverty tends to expand. Should we as Christians assume that Scriptural intended to use these expanded definitions? Or should we automatically exclude these expanded definitions from our discussons?
To answer that question, I believe we should first examine what is meant by the words used to identify the poor and needy in Scripture. One word that seems to be used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. (II Sam. 12:1-4, Prov. 10:4, 13:7-8, 13:23, 14:20, 17:5, 18:23, 19:1, 19:7, 19:22, 22:2, 22:7, 28:3, 28:27, 29:13; Eccl. 4:14, 5:8). That word is defined by Strong's Exhaustive Concordance as meaning to be destitute, and according to biblical lexicons it means "to be in want or in hunger." (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Genesius Lexicon, http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/OldTestamentHebrew/heb.cgi?search=7326&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find).
According to Strong's Concordance, the word used most often in the New Testament to describe the poor indicates beggars or paupers. (Mt. 5:3, 11:5, 19:21, 26:9-11; Mk. 10:21, 12:42-43, 14:5-7; Lk. 4:18, 6:20, 7:22, 14:13, 18:22, 19:8, 21:3; Jn. 12:5-8, 13:29; Rom. 15:26; II Cor. 6:10; Gal. 2:10; Jas. 2:2-6; Rev. 3:17, 13:17). When looking at the explanation for this word given in biblical lexicons, it has several colorful interpretations ranging from being "reduced to beggary," "destitute of wealth," "helpless and powerless to accomplish an end," to "destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture." (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Genesius Lexicon, http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?search=4434&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find). These two words appear to be the Greek and Hewbrew words most commonly used to denote the poor. However, several other words are used that would bear examination as well.
The use of these two particular words in Scripture, at a minimum, indicates that the poor that we are to be concerned with incompasses the group that we typically think of as poor - those who can't afford food, clothing, or shelter, the destitute. The Greek word used in the New Testament includes the destitute, but may also imply a broader group of people. Even if we canot agree on how far the definition of the poor should be expanded, we surely will not err if we start with those who are destitute. Since Scripture indicates that poverty will never be eradicated (note Jesus' reference in the Gospels to us always having the poor, see Mt. 26:11, Mk. 14:7, Jn. 12:8), we will likely never run out of destitute people to help.
There are several different definitions of poverty offered by governments and other organizations. There are also lots of less formal definitions of poverty. In looking for reliabe sources that offered well researched and thought-out definitions, I came across in the Urban Dictionary that claimed that being poor meant living without cable and videogames. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poor). Although amusing, this definition points out the heart of the difficulty in defining what it means to be poor. As standards of living rise in some places around the world, the definition of poverty tends to expand. Should we as Christians assume that Scriptural intended to use these expanded definitions? Or should we automatically exclude these expanded definitions from our discussons?
To answer that question, I believe we should first examine what is meant by the words used to identify the poor and needy in Scripture. One word that seems to be used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. (II Sam. 12:1-4, Prov. 10:4, 13:7-8, 13:23, 14:20, 17:5, 18:23, 19:1, 19:7, 19:22, 22:2, 22:7, 28:3, 28:27, 29:13; Eccl. 4:14, 5:8). That word is defined by Strong's Exhaustive Concordance as meaning to be destitute, and according to biblical lexicons it means "to be in want or in hunger." (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Genesius Lexicon, http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/OldTestamentHebrew/heb.cgi?search=7326&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find).
According to Strong's Concordance, the word used most often in the New Testament to describe the poor indicates beggars or paupers. (Mt. 5:3, 11:5, 19:21, 26:9-11; Mk. 10:21, 12:42-43, 14:5-7; Lk. 4:18, 6:20, 7:22, 14:13, 18:22, 19:8, 21:3; Jn. 12:5-8, 13:29; Rom. 15:26; II Cor. 6:10; Gal. 2:10; Jas. 2:2-6; Rev. 3:17, 13:17). When looking at the explanation for this word given in biblical lexicons, it has several colorful interpretations ranging from being "reduced to beggary," "destitute of wealth," "helpless and powerless to accomplish an end," to "destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture." (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Genesius Lexicon, http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/NewTestamentGreek/grk.cgi?search=4434&version=kjv&type=eng&submit=Find). These two words appear to be the Greek and Hewbrew words most commonly used to denote the poor. However, several other words are used that would bear examination as well.
The use of these two particular words in Scripture, at a minimum, indicates that the poor that we are to be concerned with incompasses the group that we typically think of as poor - those who can't afford food, clothing, or shelter, the destitute. The Greek word used in the New Testament includes the destitute, but may also imply a broader group of people. Even if we canot agree on how far the definition of the poor should be expanded, we surely will not err if we start with those who are destitute. Since Scripture indicates that poverty will never be eradicated (note Jesus' reference in the Gospels to us always having the poor, see Mt. 26:11, Mk. 14:7, Jn. 12:8), we will likely never run out of destitute people to help.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Topics to consider
It was actually just this last winter that my church spent time examining our role in caring for the poor. In an effort to ensure that I do not just plagiarize the work of my elders in their paper yet still bring their wisdom to this discussion, I think laying out the categories they used will be a helpful way to examine what the Bible has to say about the poor.
The first issue to address is who are the poor? Do we just use the poverty line set by the government? Or do we use the 125% of the poverty line used by many organizations whose purpose is to aid the poor? Or is there some other standard we should use?
Next in identifying the poor, is there a difference in the way we should treat Christians who are poor and non-Christians who are poor? Does the fact that someone is part of the universal church place extra obligations on fellow believers to care for that person? Or do we have an extra obligation to the non-Christian to show how Christ can care for their spiritual poverty just as we can care for their physical poverty?
When the poor are identified, it is useful to turn to identifying where the responsibilty to care for the poor is placed. One place to start is the government. What is the government supposed to do for the poor? Certainly the government is to treat the poor justly. Does this require more than a passive refusal to oppress the poor? Must the government actively work for the betterment of the poor and provide for their care?
The church understands poverty to be a picture of our spiritual condition. Does this give the church a unique obligation to care for the poor? Is caring for the poor a requirement to effectively preach the gospel? Can the church speak to our spiritual poverty without addressing the physical poverty of the community or does the church working to address physical poverty confuse the gospel message so that people equate the gospel with helping the poor?
Is the way I care for the poor individually supposed to look different from the way my local church as a local church cares for the poor? What is my responsibility as an individual when I am approached by someone who is homeless? Should I ever spend my money on something I don't need, like going to a concert, when that money could be given to an organization that could feed someone?
This post asks many questions. In doing so, it lays out a framework from which to move through and thoughtfully consider these issues. For my next post I plan to include Scripture and examine what a passage or several passages have to say about these issues.
The first issue to address is who are the poor? Do we just use the poverty line set by the government? Or do we use the 125% of the poverty line used by many organizations whose purpose is to aid the poor? Or is there some other standard we should use?
Next in identifying the poor, is there a difference in the way we should treat Christians who are poor and non-Christians who are poor? Does the fact that someone is part of the universal church place extra obligations on fellow believers to care for that person? Or do we have an extra obligation to the non-Christian to show how Christ can care for their spiritual poverty just as we can care for their physical poverty?
When the poor are identified, it is useful to turn to identifying where the responsibilty to care for the poor is placed. One place to start is the government. What is the government supposed to do for the poor? Certainly the government is to treat the poor justly. Does this require more than a passive refusal to oppress the poor? Must the government actively work for the betterment of the poor and provide for their care?
The church understands poverty to be a picture of our spiritual condition. Does this give the church a unique obligation to care for the poor? Is caring for the poor a requirement to effectively preach the gospel? Can the church speak to our spiritual poverty without addressing the physical poverty of the community or does the church working to address physical poverty confuse the gospel message so that people equate the gospel with helping the poor?
Is the way I care for the poor individually supposed to look different from the way my local church as a local church cares for the poor? What is my responsibility as an individual when I am approached by someone who is homeless? Should I ever spend my money on something I don't need, like going to a concert, when that money could be given to an organization that could feed someone?
This post asks many questions. In doing so, it lays out a framework from which to move through and thoughtfully consider these issues. For my next post I plan to include Scripture and examine what a passage or several passages have to say about these issues.
Why the poor?
Why focus on the poor? Why not focus on thousands of other groups that the Church relates to? Why not discuss GLBT's? Why not alcoholics? Or Muslims? Or women? Simply put, we should focus on the Church's relationship to the poor because Scripture focuses on the poor.
There are over nine different terms used to refer to poverty and the poor in Scripture. The Psalms and Proverbs are replete with references to the poor and needy that reveal God's attitude toward this group. (Ps. 9:18, 10:8, 34:6, 35:10, 37:14, 41:1, 68:10, 69:33, 72:4, 82:3-4, 107:41, 109:14-16, 109:31, 112:9, 113:7, 132:15, 140:12; Prov. 13:23, 14:20-21, 14:31, 17:5, 19:1, 19:17, 19:22, 21:13, 22:2, 22:7, 22:9, 22;16, 22:22, 28:3, 28:6, 28:8, 28:11, 28:15, 28:27, 29:7, 29:13-14, 30:14, 31:6-9, 31:20). These references indicate that righteous people care for those who are poor and needy and that wicked people oppress the poor and needy. These verses also indicate that the Holy God created both poor and rich and that He judges both groups justly.
The Old Testament provided guidance for the Israelites to know how they should treat the poor among them. (Ex. 22:25, 23:6, 23:11; Lev. 19:10, 19:15, 23:22, 25:25, 25:35-37, 25:39-41, 25:47-49; Deut. 15:7-11, 24:12-13, 24:14-15). Although these laws are no longer binding on us in the same way that the Israelites were bound, we can learn of God's attitude to the poor through these references.
Jesus' own words also make reference to the poor. (Mt. 11:5, 19:21, 26:9; Mk. 10:21, 12:41-44, 14:7; Lk. 4:18, 6:20, 7:22, 14:12-14, 18:22, 21:1-4, 12:8). Although some of His words seem cryptic, each of these references also reveals something about God's attitude toward the poor.
These references are not exhaustive. They are simply a brief first glance at some of the rich comments Scripture makes on God's relationship to the poor, and thus by extension what the Church's relationship to the poor should be.
These references are also the reason why the Church must take time to examine it's relationship to the poor. Even without considering the content of each text, the sheer volume of the references indicate that God is concerned about the poor. What is important to the Holy God should be important to the Church as well.
There are over nine different terms used to refer to poverty and the poor in Scripture. The Psalms and Proverbs are replete with references to the poor and needy that reveal God's attitude toward this group. (Ps. 9:18, 10:8, 34:6, 35:10, 37:14, 41:1, 68:10, 69:33, 72:4, 82:3-4, 107:41, 109:14-16, 109:31, 112:9, 113:7, 132:15, 140:12; Prov. 13:23, 14:20-21, 14:31, 17:5, 19:1, 19:17, 19:22, 21:13, 22:2, 22:7, 22:9, 22;16, 22:22, 28:3, 28:6, 28:8, 28:11, 28:15, 28:27, 29:7, 29:13-14, 30:14, 31:6-9, 31:20). These references indicate that righteous people care for those who are poor and needy and that wicked people oppress the poor and needy. These verses also indicate that the Holy God created both poor and rich and that He judges both groups justly.
The Old Testament provided guidance for the Israelites to know how they should treat the poor among them. (Ex. 22:25, 23:6, 23:11; Lev. 19:10, 19:15, 23:22, 25:25, 25:35-37, 25:39-41, 25:47-49; Deut. 15:7-11, 24:12-13, 24:14-15). Although these laws are no longer binding on us in the same way that the Israelites were bound, we can learn of God's attitude to the poor through these references.
Jesus' own words also make reference to the poor. (Mt. 11:5, 19:21, 26:9; Mk. 10:21, 12:41-44, 14:7; Lk. 4:18, 6:20, 7:22, 14:12-14, 18:22, 21:1-4, 12:8). Although some of His words seem cryptic, each of these references also reveals something about God's attitude toward the poor.
These references are not exhaustive. They are simply a brief first glance at some of the rich comments Scripture makes on God's relationship to the poor, and thus by extension what the Church's relationship to the poor should be.
These references are also the reason why the Church must take time to examine it's relationship to the poor. Even without considering the content of each text, the sheer volume of the references indicate that God is concerned about the poor. What is important to the Holy God should be important to the Church as well.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Why blog?
Over the course of several months, many discussions with friends, fruitless hours at bookstores, word documents full of the beginnings of ideas, and time spent generally contemplating, I've come to the frustrating and startling conclusion that very few Christians discuss with much detail the concept of how Christians should relate to those who are poor. The irony of this current state of the Christian church seems striking as the Bible itself is chock-full of references to caring for the poor.
These posts are intended to start discussions and open up space for a consideration of what role the Bible indicates that the Christian Church should be playing in ministering to the poor. Should it be a ministry of witnessing only? Should witnessing be secondary to ministering to physical needs? How is the Church to prioritize ministry to poor people as compared to other ministry opportunities? What effect does the Church's involvement with the poor have on our relationships to other groups of people?
I invite everyone to participate in this process of learning and seeking for Truth. However, my caution is that Truth only emanates from the Holy God and His word as revealed in Scripture. Many of us may disagree and have various ideas. We are all free to share those ideas, but we, myself included, should also all be willing to have each of those ideas tested by the teachings of Scripture. As we search for truth, we can rest confident that if we come with a willing heart the Holy God will reward our diligence. May we all seek to glorify Him.
These posts are intended to start discussions and open up space for a consideration of what role the Bible indicates that the Christian Church should be playing in ministering to the poor. Should it be a ministry of witnessing only? Should witnessing be secondary to ministering to physical needs? How is the Church to prioritize ministry to poor people as compared to other ministry opportunities? What effect does the Church's involvement with the poor have on our relationships to other groups of people?
I invite everyone to participate in this process of learning and seeking for Truth. However, my caution is that Truth only emanates from the Holy God and His word as revealed in Scripture. Many of us may disagree and have various ideas. We are all free to share those ideas, but we, myself included, should also all be willing to have each of those ideas tested by the teachings of Scripture. As we search for truth, we can rest confident that if we come with a willing heart the Holy God will reward our diligence. May we all seek to glorify Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)