How are disciples to address the poor? Do they only have responsibilities with regards to other believers? This devotion looks at several verse that detail how disciples are to regard the poor.
Nuggets
- We have to be concerned enough about the poor for action.
- God has a plan for our help for others, first helping our biological family.
- Instead of a brother being reduced to an alien, we have an alien elevated to the status of brother.
- Every three years, there was a collection so the poor could be supported.
Devotions in the What Is Charity? series
A while back, in response to a question from a reader, we discussed what disciples’ responsibilities are in fixing the problems of this world. I responded that it is our mission to preach the gospel and make disciples. We are not called to fix systemic problems with this world.
Still, we do interact with people who need our charity — both love and support. But what are we called — individually — to do?
I know I use the pronoun we because — generally — more people are in the same boat than just you and me. But we are talking about self-discipline. Focus is on what do I/you need to do individually to become a more mature disciple?
So, we can’t read the devotions in this series as a call to band together and fix the ills of the world — or at least our section — or the ills of someone we know. This is about what God is saying to you/me personally about growing our relationship with Him.
Let’s look up some verses to see if we can get a handle on it.
Let's Put It into Context
God calls disciples to care about others. We are to support each other. This includes those who are poor.
This verse is all over the board in terms of translation. Here is a list:
“… care about justice …” (NIV)
“… care about the rights …” (NLT).
“… knows the rights …” (ESV, CSB, GNT, HCSB)
“… is concerned for the rights …” (NASB)
“… considers the cause …” (NKJV)
“… considereth the cause …” (KJV)
The Contemporary English Version switches things around. It says, “The wicked don’t care about the rights of the poor, but good people do” (Prob. 29: 7 VEV).
We can know about something — have the head knowledge — but not necessarily care or be concerned. When we care about something, that means it is important to us, but it may not be sending up red flags like being concerned about something would. To me, the jury is still out when we are considering something. Our minds haven’t been made up yet.
Most of the versions talk about the rights of the poor. That is talking about entitlement. Justice, on the other hand, is talking more about treatment.
To me, cause would determine why people are poor. We may need this information to be able to do to help. We would have different assistance for someone who is struggling to meet their needs if they needed a new furnace rather than someone who was struggling because they didn’t ave the skills needed to get a job over minimum wage.
If we are concerned about justice, maybe God is calling us to be concerned about the systemic ills of our world today. The rest of the translations seem like they are focusing on what we do individually.
So, what really is God calling us to do?
Open Mouth for Sure
“Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy” (Prov. 31: 9 CSB)
Every translation except the Contemporary English Version says we are to speak up. To me, that means we have to be concerned enough about the poor for action.
But what does “… judge righteously …” mean? Righteousness is the result of the process of sanctification, where we grow in grace and knowledge to change us to increase our holiness.
Think about it. If we are righteous, we are imitating God. That would mean we are judging the situation as He would judge it.
The translations are about split evenly between rights and cause, with one justice thrown in for good measure.
Hmmm. We aren’t moving forward very quickly, are we? Let’s keep going.
Family Helps Family
“If your brother becomes destitute and sells part of his property, his nearest relative may come and redeem what his brother has sold. If a man has no family redeemer, but he prospers and obtains enough to redeem his land, he may calculate the years since its sale, repay the balance to the man he sold it to, and return to his property” (Lev. 25: 25-27 CSB)
Then I got into verses about who we are to help. Leviticus is the book of law. Yes, there are some in Exodus, and they get restated in Deuteronomy. But Leviticus sets out exactly the ritual and moral practices that the Israelites are to follow.
These verses bring up an important concept — that of the redeemer. Remember when Naomi and Ruth returned as widows to Bethlehem (Ruth 1). Boaz was “… one of [Naomi’s] family redeemers” (Ruth 2: 20 CSB).
The NLT Study Bible Blog told us that “the family redeemer had an obligation ‘to buy an object or person from indenture, slavery, or otherwise harsh circumstances.’” Family was to take care of family.
What this tells me is that God has a plan for our help for others. First, we are to help our biological family.
Why do I say that? Macdonald said that “… the Law has no provision for the redemption of the stranger who cannot purchase freedom for himself.”
Family But …
“If your brother becomes destitute and cannot sustain himself among you, you are to support him as an alien or temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you” (Lev. 25: 35 CSB)
Wait! What? Support our brother as an alien? But aren’t they not supposed to intermarry with them?
Following is the advice Moses gave the Wilderness Wanderers right before they entered the Promise Land. “You must not intermarry with them, and you must not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your sons away from me to worship other gods. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will swiftly destroy you” (Deut. 7: 3-4 CSB).
Okay. Holman Bible Dictionary. What does it say about aliens?
- Israel started out as aliens (Ex. 23: 9)
- God does loves aliens (Deut. 10: 19).
- There were special laws for aliens (Deut. 24: 19-20; Deut. 26:12).
- Aliens had some rights (Deut. 24: 17; Deut. 27: 19).
- They could be included in Passover and offer sacrifices (Num. 9: 14; Lev. 17: 8).
- They had to obey some laws (Lev. 18: 26).
- In reality, we are all people as aliens on earth (Ps. 39: 13; Ps. 119: 19).
Macdonald’s translation read, “the stranger ‘with’ the Hebrew, and so, subject to his law, is recognized as a brother (see verses 35, 36).
That takes it the other way. Instead of a brother being reduced to an alien, we have an alien elevated to the status of brother.
Talk about mercy. Remember, mercy is the unexpected way God responds in love to our needs. He doesn’t judge us to the extent He could have.
Funding
Yep, every three years, there was a collection so the poor could be supported. Ross stated, “In Jewish law God claimed tithes and gifts for the worship of the sanctuary and the necessities of the poor.”
Orr notes that this is good for us to know. “A lesson is taught here as to the duty of liberal, systematic, and conscientious giving for religious and charitable purposes.
Orr also notes that God does make accommodations for some laws. For example, Mary and Joseph sacrificed the offering allowed to those who could not afford the regular offering (Lk. 2: 24).
Don’t we have a wonderful God! He knows what we can do.
Limitations
“No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, and is well known for good works—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work” (I Tim. 5: 9-10 CSB)
Yes, God provides for the poor. Yes, He can and will put limitations on His provision.
No, that doesn’t make God mean. It makes Him God.
Making the Connections
God calls His children to support each other. No, not everyone is a child of God. Those who have not admitted their sins, believed on Jesus as Redeemer, and confessed God as Sovereign Lord are creations of God, not children of God.
Yes, God provides for His children and some of those provisions fall on non-believers.
We just have to remember one thing. This world isn’t God’s priority. His priority is expanding His kingdom. His priority is eternal life.
How Do We Apply This?
- We have to listen to God’s promptings when He is telling us how He is going to use us to support the poor.
- We have to love others as He loves them, not as the world loves.
- We have to grow in grace and knowledge through sanctification until we have His character.
Father. You are love (I Jn. 4: 8). Lord, we want Your heart. Help us to love others as You do. Use us to help them. Help us to lead them to You. Amen.
What do you think?
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