August 16

Poor Power

It is mockery and cynicism to assume that all poor people are incapable, stupid, or deserving of a lower station in life.


Proverbs 17
5 He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

The poor are those who have little in terms of human resources. These days they live in cars, on the street, in dilapidated houses and apartments, under bridges and even in Suburbia where they manage to balance huge credit charges and wait in fear for the foreclosure of business or home.

The crowd of the poor is growing in our country and the latter group is being added daily to their company. Yet, the mockery goes on. It is mockery to assume such people deserve what they got. In some cases, they may deserve it but such an assumption should not cut at our ability to be empathic.

The best help we may give the poor is encouragement and aide them to become self-sufficient. It is mockery and cynicism to assume that all poor people are incapable, stupid, or deserving of a lower station in life. To grant them a blanket handout or depend upon government is mockery as much as it is to ignore or to assume all poor are less than we. It is a fact, that a lot more of the kinder, generous and good things of humanity exist in the community of the poor. Our Lord was such a one.

We need always to keep our hearts and purses open to those who are in hard times. In so doing we may be welcoming and ministering to Christ.