Benefits For Giving To The Poor
Proverbs 28:27; Psalm 41:1-3; Matthew 25:34-40
Elder Clarence Weaver
Introduction
What a great example of living in love and harmony Jesus gave to the world with His simple request for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman at the well in Samaria. Jews and Samaritans were divided by great difference, yet, Jesus was able to turn aside difference and bring out of universal spirituality when He spoke to and taught a Samaritan woman at the well.
We all benefit because Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for everyone. As the Thanksgiving is fast approaching us this week many people opt to give to the poor, feed the homeless, or invite them to their church or home. However, once the holiday festivities is over, the poor will remain amongst us. The Bible says that "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." – Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing
Benefits For Giving To The Poor
In everyday living, we too have many opportunities to infuse our relationship with others with harmony. In Psalm 41 the Bible offer us seven benefits the Lord promise He will do for considering the poor:
Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep you alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. – Psalm 41:1-3
Deliver you from trouble: The Lord delivers the godly from their trials and tribulations. It could be something such as avoiding a car accident or delivering you from yourself of some form of addiction.
The LORD will preserve you: Getting older is inevitable, but "aging" isn't. Perhaps, this is better than any product they have on the market to slow down aging as you grow older.
Keep you alive: As long as you and I seek to do the will of God, He will use us as a blessing to others. When we get confused and seek to use those blessings He gives us for our own selfish benefit, then we have reason to be concerned. He is faithful and this verse brings us hope that God has every reason to keep you alive as long as you glorify Him in your life and the life to be with Him
Blessed you earth: You don’t have to wait for heaven to walk in peace and joy. You can rejoice right here right now on earth in spite of your circumstances because God wants you to take a throne attitude and rest while He takes care of everything else for you!
Deliver you from your enemies: God will make your enemies your footstool because you have rested in the Lord
Give you strength to heal: God will restore you to full health on your deathbed. It is God alone Who heals and that healing is fully a sovereign work of the Lord and not from the will of man.
Sustain you on your deathbed: In no way does this promise that He will heal every sickness, even from a condition that brings them close to death, but it does reaffirm that it is God and God alone Who is the Healer. He will bring them comfort rather than suffering.
Finally my brothers and sisters, do you know the mission of God for lifted someone out of poverty or brokenhearted? Matthew 25:34-40 describes the reasons why we should give and the benefits for doing the Lord’s will on earth:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”’ – Matthew 25:34-36
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Mathew 25:37-40
I think this is important to keep in mind. Jesus doesn’t throw band-aids at problems. He fixes them. Jesus cures; he restores people to full participation in society. He heals the sick. He eats with sinners. He changes the social order—and is killed for his efforts. He is never complacent with human suffering.
For the poor, a place in society clearly implies being lifted out of poverty and given dignity in the form of jobs and housing and all of the other benefits that give them independence and a voice to the powerless. Charity is important to address immediate needs, but it does not solve problems in the long run. Jesus knew it. We need to believe it too, or we miss the true challenge of the Gospels.
