Caring for the Poor Deeply from the Heart

This morning at our devotional I read to our staff and volunteers some passages from Proverbs about caring for the poor. Here are a few:

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. -- Prov. 14:21

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. - Prov. 19:17

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them. -- Prov. 22:22-23

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. -- Prov. 29:7

Right after reading these passages from God's word, I made this confession to the group: some times I get annoyed with people that come here for help. I get mad at those who seem so irresponsible and don't care a thing about God and how they're grieving the Lord and hurting others through their sin. That was the case yesterday when I interviewed "Kate." She has two young kids at home. No husband. Now she's pregnant again with a man that lives at another place, and who was in our waiting room -- needing some clothes. Kate seemed so self-centered. When I asked about her income, she said that she just relied on her mother and sister to support her. Quite honestly, I wanted to slap her for her lackadaisacal attitude about life.

And yet, God calls me to be compassionate to the poor. And to realize that I don't know all of their story. I have no idea what brought Kate to the situation she is in right now. As I continue to read this powerful book, The Working Poor, and learn of all the negatives that people in poverty face, it gives me more of an understanding of what they're against. They face odds that I've never had to face. I'm not excusing irresponsibility and treating sin lightly. And I know that poverty is not always due to laziness. Some work very hard and yet because they receive such low wages and live in a bad environment they often remain stuck in a trap of poverty.

What do I do about this bad attitude I have for the poor? Ask the Lord to change my heart. To realize that I was raised with incredible privileges. And that everything I do have comes from God. And to remind myself of these words of Jesus: "To whom much is given, much will be required."

Please pray for Kate. And pray for me that I will serve our neighbors with a humble spirit, a non-judgmental attitude and a deep love for those who are barely making it through life. I want to love them like Jesus loves me. Even with all my sins and failings, I am still loved by Jesus Christ and provided for by Him every day. How can I not love others the same way?

Jim