Walking with the Wise #267: Helping the Hurting

“Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.”
—Proverbs 17:5

God cares about the poor, and for us to insult or disregard them, is to disregard God Himself. And for those who celebrate those going through such misfortune judgment is sure to follow. Instead of gloating at someone’s calamitous catastrophe we are to offer help and compassion—just as the Good Samaritan. He helped the injured Jewish man along the road—even at tremendous cost to himself (cf. Luke 10:35) going so far to nurse him, give him housing, and even pay whatever was necessary to help in his rehabilitation.

In the book of Isaiah, God admonishes the Israelites for using their spiritual disciplines as a means of selfish gain. He then provides a tonic to their rebuke, by telling them that they should use their spiritual disciplines as means to help others—give food to the hungry, the homeless shelter, clothing to the naked, etc.

The words given by God to Isaiah are still applicable to us today and demonstrate that our relationship with God is proven and displayed by how much we help others. If you want to show your love for God, then seek to help others. Helping others is one of the truest exhibitions and most noble expressions of Christian discipleship. Don’t disregard or overlook the positions others are in—seek to help them so that they also might experience the joy of knowing their Maker—the God who loved them so much He gave Himself to secure their redemption—Jesus Christ. Amen.