The poor shall never cease out of the land

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 14-16

Deuteronomy 15:11For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Being poor is not the worst thing that can happen to someone. However, God's Word tells us there will always be poor in the land. For the Israelite, they were commanded to realize there would be poor among them and they were to give to the poor. Jesus said something very similar, paraphrasing this passage in Deuteronomy.

Matthew 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

The Israelite was commanded by God to give to the poor and to do it with grace and not bitterness.

Deuteronomy 15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

The Hebrew was to care for the stranger as well, but his true obligation was to the poor among the Israelites. God promised to bless if a man would give liberally and not grudgingly to the poor.

As New Testament followers of Christ, we too are to have a liberal heart in regards to the poor. It is interesting that the world sees the church as obligated to take care of all poor in the land. And the church should do go, however the Bible keeps the same intensification of care for those who are believers.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The word 'especially' tells us that we must be extra sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we have the opportunity we should do good to all men, but especially those of the household of faith.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The attitude of a Christian should be one of dependance upon God. He has received freely from God and he can freely give. Be a conduit of blessing!

In Christ,
Rody