What the Scriptures Reveal about God and Poverty
There are many Scriptures that address God’s heart for and perspective of the poor. I have selected just a few to help us draw a conclusion to the subject question:
- Giving and helping the poor is core to God’s character. He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever (emphasis mine) 2 Corinthians 9:9. Also, 1 Samuel 2:8 shares, “He raises the poor from the dust.”
- Jesus assumes we will be giving to the poor (notice not “if” but “when”). “So when you give to the poor”, Matthew 6:1.
- True followers of Christ gave to the poor. “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor”, (Zaccheus in Luke 19:8). As well as Paul, “They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do” (emphasis mine). Galatians 2:10
- When we give to the poor, we are giving to God. One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed (emphasis mine). Proverbs 19:17
- When we give to the poor, it honors God. He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. Proverbs 14:31
- The Israelites were commanded to provide for the poor and were blessed for their generosity. “At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.” Deuteronomy 14:28-29
- Not helping the poor was reason for judgment in the past. “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy” (Emphasis mine) Ezekiel 16:49.
- It will be a topic at the future judgment. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 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; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Specific Commands from Jesus and His Word
Here are three specific commands from Jesus and His Word. One to the rich young ruler wondering what his life lacked and the others to more general audiences of followers:
- The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property (emphasis mine). Matthew 19:20-22
- He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (emphasis mine). Luke 14:12-14
- But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:17-18
While the first is a specific command to an individual, the principles apply to all of Christ’s followers, which is that we must give generously to the poor and that when we do, it’s an eternal investment. Luke 14:12-14 clearly shares Jesus’ heart of the poor and needy. It is a specific command to His followers to be intentional about reaching out and providing for them. The passage in 1 John is a clear warning to those who say they are Christ’s followers but the actions don’t align with their proclaimed faith. In this verse, we are compelled to provide for those in need.
How can we help the materially poor?
A brief review of Scripture clearly shows that God commands us to help the poor. God demonstrates His heart for the poor and needy by His own example, through His promises for those who do, and through His perfect judgments for those who don’t. But how does one give to the poor effectively? Here are four suggestions:
- Give strategically through a trusted ministry or foundation. Support a trusted local rescue mission or community organization with your talents to make a meaningful impact on the poor. If your church has a direct ministry to the poor and needy, this is a great starting place!
- Give strategically by giving more than money. Effective long-term support of the poor and needy typically requires more than money. For the poor and needy who are mentally and physically able to recover, I encourage readers to connect with trusted ministries and community organizations. Share practical skills like job training, budgeting, and basic life skills to empower those in need of long-term recovery.
- Give spontaneously and cheerfully. I’m often asked, “Should I give to the beggar on the street corner?”. Many people are rightfully skeptical due to recent scandals of panhandlers who are not truly in need. My advice is to listen to the Holy Spirit. If you sense a burden or call to give, then give cheerfully and obediently. If you don’t, then don’t give. If your motive is pure, you will never regret a decision to give. Now this advice can only be successful IF you are asking God and listening to Him.
- Get Equipped. I recommend two books that will equip you with how to effectively help the poor. The first is When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. A second resource is titled, Giving Wisely by Jonathan Martin.
How about you? Have you found an effective way to help the poor that would equip other readers? Share any lessons learned as well.