Kind To The Poor… “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor lends to the Lord. What does it mean to lend to the Lord? Charity is placed on the Almighty’s account on behalf of the poor and needy. Christ covers their debt with interest, and He extends rewards back to the generous giver. It portrays the priority of loving the least of these in Jesus’ name. When we extend kindness to those in severe need, we are serving the Lord Himself. You see Jesus in their hopeful eyes.
He described it this way, “For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’ (Matthew 25:42-43, 45). Serving the poor is serving the Lord.
Perhaps you start by praying for the poor. Chose a time of the week and listen to the Lord’s extreme love for the least of these. He may say serve precious poor children by volunteering at an after school program. He may nudge you to give a day a week to go downtown and help the homeless: serve in the soup kitchen; organize clothes, all the while sharing the good news of Jesus with a smile and encouraging Scripture.
Lastly, the Lord rewards kindness to the poor. It may be the simple satisfaction of obeying Christ’s command. It may be the fulfillment of seeing your family’s faith lived out in a practical, hand’s on opportunity. It may be the joy of seeing someone receive Christ, because you modeled Christ. Who can I regularly join in prayer for the impoverished? Where does the Lord want me to be kind to the poor on His behalf? The Bible teaches the motivation of giving in love, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).
Related Readings: 2 Samuel 12:6; Isaiah 58:10; Galatians 2:10; James 2:15-16
Transformational Living
What did I learn from the Lord in today’s Bible reading?
How will I respond?
