I was talking to a Christian friend about the need for the government and the church to take care of the poor and her immediate response was, “I work!” She was a bit indignant and the implication was why should she give her hard earned dollars to people who don’t work. Her attitude was based on the assumption, that if you are poor, it is because you are not working. This is a myth I would like to take this opportunity to destroy. There are millions of people in the United States who are working very hard but are still poor because of the rising costs of housing, food and fuel.
     I met a relatively young woman who told me that she had a stroke from working so many jobs just to keep a roof over her head. She didn’t have any children, and could not qualify for low income housing, at least not until she had the stroke. That’s quite a price to pay to get housing you can afford.
     A distressed woman walked into a food bank and told the workers there, “It doesn’t matter how many jobs I work, I still can’t make ends meet.” Then she broke down sobbing.
     I have been there and because I am in ministry totally dependant on the gifts of others, sometimes I am still there and I know the feeling very well.
     I don’t care what anyone says, if we do not have compassion, we do not have Christ and we can’t pretend we know Him and turn our backs on people we know are in need. - But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? - I John 3:17.
     If we are going to survive as a nation, the policies of our government and the church in this country are going to have to change and change quickly. It is a Biblical principle that when we give to the poor, God protects - Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies –Psalm 41: 1,2. When we turn our backs on the poor, He withdraws His protection, and this country has many enemies. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar to -break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor” and God would “lengthen his tranquility”. Daniel 4: 27. The government has stopped purchasing surplus from the farms. This surplus was the provision of our food banks. Now many of them are struggling to stay open in a time when more and more families are in need.
     May I make a suggestion to those of you who have been blessed with adequate paychecks? Take a little bit of your abundance and donate it to your local food bank, or purchase some extra food and give it to them. It may help prolong your prosperity in these unstable times.
     Sharing the wealth is not socialism, it is true Christianity – Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. Acts 4: 34,35.

Copyright 2008 by H.D. Shively