Walking with the Wise #192: Helping the Hurting

“Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, 

but he who is generous to the needy honors Him.”

—Proverbs 14:31

God cares about the poor and desires that we do as well. In the Old Testament, God even built special provisions for the poor. God wanted the poor to be treated equally under the law (cf. Leviticus 19:15). When it came to harvest time, the Israelites were to leave behind for the poor the grapes that dropped to the ground (cf. Leviticus 19:10), and not glean to the edge of the fields for the wheat harvest (cf. Leviticus 23:22). If a man’s brother became poor, he was to support him (cf. Leviticus 25:35).

Whenever the poor are marginalized, forgotten, neglected, or plundered by God’s people, He becomes their advocate, interceding on their behalf and judging those who should have been there to help them in their time of need, as the Psalmist said:

“’Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,’ says the LORD; ‘I will place him in the safety for which he longs’”—Psalm 12:5.

Sooner or later, we all find ourselves with the opportunity to help someone in need, and we must be ready to help in whatever way we can. Not everyone can help financially, but we can all do something. And while we can’t do everything, nor can we help everyone, we can do something to help someone. That may be helping financially, giving shelter, a place to do laundry, food, counsel, gas for their car, babysitting for their kids, or something else—but we all can help in some way.

What are you doing to help the poor? Are you giving? Is your home open? Are you able to give financially? Or perhaps time? What about a place for them to do laundry? How about serving in a soup kitchen? Is there something you can do? What is it? Ask the Lord to help you find ways to help the poor, because in doing so, you honor God, because you show that all people are made in His image and are deserving of love and affection for God’s glory and your joy. Amen.