Who Are "The Poor"?

Faith and Finances

Jesus said, "For ye have the poor always with you." Matthew 26:11a

There are amazing promises to those who consider the poor.

"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.

The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing" Psalm 41:1-3

In This Episode, We Look At:

Here we see three consecutive verses, in the Psalms, with specific and wonderful promises for those who will consider the poor.

In this age, who are the poor which the Scriptures are referring to? Are they the individuals who hold up signs on the street corner? Maybe not.

The Bible speaks of four distinct groups of the poor and specifies which groups we are to help, and which not to help.

The First Group: Those who are poor due to tragedy.

These are commonly widows, those who have become disabled, or diseased. We are to help this group.

The Second Group: Those who are oppressed or exploited.

In Biblical times we see this in the children of Israel.

Today we see this in human trafficking as well as citizens of countries whose dictators oppress and kill their people. We are to help this group.

The Third Group: Those who are poor because they are lazy (slothful).

We are not asked to give money to this group, they are instructed to work so they can eat.

The Fourth Group: Those who are poor because they choose to forgo material acquisitions for the sake of the kingdom of God and to serve others.

We do not see this as often as was seen in history, though there are some missionary situations where they are content to live sparsely, though we are called to financially support missionaries.

Improve Your Faith and Finances:

Prayerfully ask the Lord who He would have you to help. This could be in the form of a meal, even a financial gift (assistance with paying a utility bill, or groceries) and count on God's provision and blessings to you, as you honor Him in your giving.

Share Your Thoughts:

If you have a question or comment about today's topic, we invite you to share your thoughts.

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