April 9 – How To Honor God

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
(Proverbs 14:31)

IN WORD:
For most of us, caring for the poor is an afterthought. We’re not unconcerned; we’re just not very intentional about our efforts. For God, caring for the poor is essential. It is an emphatic theme in His Word. It is written into His Law, it is expressed in His wisdom, it is measured by the prophets, it is characteristic of Jesus, and it is a substantial ministry in the New Testament church. From cover to cover, the Bible tells us of God’s concern for the poor.
Modern Christianity maintains ministries for the poor, but they are often peripheral ministries. For most Christians, our efforts include donating things we no longer value or need and urging our churches to help the needy. But our God is a hands-on God, and we are to be hands-on people.
The message of Proverbs 14:31 is that our view of the needy reflects our view of God. Do we see in the destitute the image of God? Perhaps it is veiled, but it is there. Though the image is fallen, it is God’s nonetheless. Don’t let its obscurity fool you; all humanity was created in His image, and our attitude toward toward other people is symptomatic of our attitude toward God. Or, to put it another way, our love of God will determine how we treat other people — even the very least of them. If we can easily let His creation suffer, we probably don’t think much of God.

IN DEED:
Why is it so important to God that we be kind to the needy? Because if we aren’t, we’ve forgotten who we are. We were needy. He was kind. Did we learn anything from His example? Do we consider His love valuable only because it was applied to us? Did mercy really sink in?
The poor remain because God wants to know: How much do you value His ways? Give Him a demonstration today. Show kindness to those who need it most.

“World poverty is a hundred million mothers weeping because they cannot feed their children.” -Ronald J. Sider-