Have You Neglected This Righteous Cause Of God?

As believers, we have a responsibility to care forthose who have been left without a bread winner, whichbegins with the responsibility of caring for our ownfamily and relatives who may be in distress.

1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, andspecially for those of his own house, he hath deniedthe faith, and is worse than an infidel.

An infidel is a person who does not even acknowledgeGod. So what does that say about someone who doesn'ttake care of his own family in need?

Helping the poor and needy is the only Christ likeresponse there is in dealing with widows and orphansand people that are tragically left without a breadwinner.

James 1:27 "Pure and undefiled religion before God andthe father is this; to visit orphans and widows intheir trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from theworld".

God is deeply concerned that the poor and needyreceive justice and deliverance. This should be highon the agenda for anyone seeking to honor God andreceive His divine blessings.

Psalms 41:1 "Blessed is he who considers the poor, TheLord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lordwill preserve him and keep him alive, and he will beblessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to thewill of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him onhis bed of illness; You will sustain him on hissickbed".

The above scripture is one of more than twenty fivetimes in which psalms mention "the poor" , usuallyeither in terms of what the wicked are doing to themor what God is doing for them.

So to be on the side of God is to take up the cause ofthe poor and oppressed.

Helping the poor has to do with one's responsibilitiestoward upholding the weak and disadvantageed.

Wherever scripture raises this issue, it challenges usto share at least some of our material wealth withpeople in desperate need.

Exodus 22:25-27 "If you lend money to any of My peoplewho are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest".

Whatever charity we show to the poor will be repaid,not necessarily by the poor, but by the Lord becausethe Lord assumes the debt.

God is aware of what we do and because of that wenever really "waste" our charity, even if the personwho receives it turns out to be deceptive, God stillmakes it right. The poor person will have to answerfor how he uses the resources God brings into hislife.

Likewise, we must answer for how we have used theresources God brings our way, and in most cases Godwants us to use at least part of those resources toassist the poor.

Those that honor God show mercy to the weak anddisadvantaged, Yet In contrast those that depart fromGodly ways abuse and manipulate the poor.

So part of our responsibility as Christians involvesseeing that the poor benefit from truth and justice,by demonstrating that commitment at our jobs andcommunities.

Proverbs 11:24-25 "There is one who scatters, yetincreases more; and there is one who withholds morethan is right, but it leads to poverty. The generoussoul will be made rich, and he who waters will also bewatered himself".

God also condemns favoritism toward the rich anddiscrimination towards the poor. This includestreating rich people better than poor people based ontheir socioeconomic status.

Exodus 22:22-24 You shall not afflict any widow orfatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, andthey cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; andMy wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with thesword; your wives shall be widows, and your childrenfatherless.

So in conclusion to take up this righteous cause ofGod you must provide for the needs of your family. (1Tim. 5:8). Visit orphans and widows in their trouble.(Jam. 1:27). Don't be like a money lender to the poor(Ex. 22:25-27), and not afflict any widow orfatherless child. (Ex. 22:22-24).

David Hopkins is a "Christian Article Writer" whospecializes in helping people remember to glorifyGod in everything that they do, so they don't missout on any of His wonderful blessings.

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