Poverty is the number one charity that people tend to give to. Christian and Non-Christian alike shower money towards the problem of poverty. But the real issue is not just poverty itself, but how we address it. Often we just want to hand over some dollars or to sign up for some child in Africa via coperations like Compassion International. Such charities are worthy, but there is a real need that no amount of money can solve in poverty; that is the need of the human soul to be saved and loved. When we just give from a distance, that person cannot know love. Do not get me wrong, helping a child get educated in a third world country or keeping someone from staviing with a few bucks is great! But there is a deeper way in which we can reach these lost and troubled indiviudals.
Jesus Christ said, "when you have helped the least of these, you have helped me." (Matthew 25:40). A haunting sentiment from the Savior. So when we help someone in need, wither they be homeless person or someone in home struggling to pay bills or put food on the table, we are helping Christ himself?! What if this was how we approached the problem of poverty? What he saw it through the lens of the Prince of Peace dressed as a pauper? The Lord said to his Disciples, "when I was naked, you clothed me, when I was thirsty, you gave me drink and when I was cold you gave me warmth." (Matthew 25:35-38). The Disciples then asked Jesus, "when did we ever cloth you, feed you, or shelter you?" Christ replied, "whenever you helped the least of these." What poignant point about poverty that Jesus was making. In the Book of Hebrews it says, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for you maybe entertaining angels." (Hebrews 13:2). Angels? Yes angels are among us and sometimes take on the garbe of homeless person.
Once when I was a Walmart as a child, my mum and I encountered a woman outside who was in need. She asked for some money to get food in Walmart, and we felt a peace in our hearts to help her. The presence of God was with this woman. As we watched her go inside the department store, she suddenly vanished without a trace, no way she could have dashed away walking down the aisle. She was an angel and my mother and I knew it. Another experiance happened to me this night, I saw a woman in white tattered clothing. She was collecting cans on a stroller and was fishing through the trash. When I looked at her I felt my heart leap with the presence of God. I was told to help her, but I failed to act quickly enough. We went to where she had last been seen and there was no trace of her in any direction. She was an angel in disguise.
Our motive for helping the poor should be from a place of love. There is fantastic band called for King & Country, they sing a song called "The Proof of Your Love," which goes something like this, "Let my love.. be the proof of your love." We should want to help the needy because we are often in need. God has come in our hours of need and yet when we have the chance to pay it forward and show that same care and compassion towards another, we fail because of the old cynical thoughts, "they just want money for drugs," "they could get a job," or "they are just leeches and want to bumb money of people." What if Christ had treated us the same way? What if the Lord seeing our sinful state; our spiritual poverty, decidied to hold the same dispoistion towards us? I am convicted, make no mistake I have failed in this area of love and ministry towards the lost. But no more. It is time for us to "love the least of these," and stop making exuses for complaceny and stoicism. We may get burned, the person may not be in real need or nursing an addiction, but think of all the people we pass over that do need a helping hand and could chance their circumstances if we as Christians just had some Christ-like compassion.
I am preaching to myself tonight and to anyone who reads. Let us not be so quick to judge! Let us be Christ's "hands and feet." Often the best place for sharing the Gospel is with those in a desperate place. Homeless folk are desperate, they need the Good News, our Love, and a Helping Hand. Our motive to aid those in the thralls of poverty should not be pride; to improve our self esteem, but instead to share the love of God with those in pain. Once we were waundering the streets of damnation on this earth, we rounded the corners of condemnation until we found planted on a hill the cross. There Jesus set us free and gave us a new life. Now we carry salvation inside ourselves and it is out duty to share it with those who are lost. Now sometimes the lost are in buisness suites and we should be senestive to the Holy Spirit regarding who to help, but the poor is a good start. They are open, they have nowhere to go and are hungry. Next time you see someone walking the streets, talk to them, show them they are valued, share the Gospel with them like this:
"You know better than most that life is hard and full of suffering. But if you do not have Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you shall not be able to endure the next life, nor survive this one for long. Before you take this food or money, will you accept the greater gift of God's Son into your heart?" (Jeffrey Gassler).
In addition show the person love, invite them to lunch, don't just feed them. Sometimes these lost souls just need to know someone wants to know them and to reaffirm that they are not animals. If you rely on the Spirit of God, He will show you just what to say and do, but the minimum that we can do is pray with that homeless person, and tell them that there is a home in heaven, a mansion awaiting them if they believe in Jesus Christ and that He will give them purpose in this life. Treat these people of the streets with dignity and love. They are not projects, they are people in desperate need of God's peace. Be that peace, shower them with love, kindness, and acceptance. Remind yourself when you feel like faultering or not giving it a go, that that person could be you. You could have been born into poverty and not live the Middle to Upper Class life you have now. God blessed you with a home, good educaiton, possessions, food, clothes, and etc. But these people holding up cardboard signs or pushing around grocery carts got a different package; one that requires God to minister to them and help them through us! People can change around thier poverty and become prosperious, but they need God's help: which is you.
I know the desire to hesistate. There are some mentally unstable homeless people, even violent ones out there. In that case, call upon Christ and confront their demons with the Blood of Christ. Do not be afraid. Obviously, if you are a woman it is better to be in group or have someone else with you minsitering love and care. Be safe, but not timid. The Lord will lead you if you listen. Listen to that Still small voice in your heart and mind. He will direct you what to do and how to do it. Just do not risk as I did being slow to move. For the opportunity to "let our love be the proof of your (Jesus) love" will not always be available. For when Jesus Returns, on that day it will be too late. So let us not waste time, but instead be bold and open our hearts to love as we should; unconditionally.
Amen!
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