Our small bible study group has read our way through Crazy Love, Radical & now When Helping Hurts. I have been digging deeper into God's Word & God has used all of these things to take me to a new a wonderful place where I feel a constant urge to join Him wherever he is working. It's not always easy because we all have our own agenda, but it's what he commands of us. Did you know that one of the reasons Israel was sent into captivity was because of her failure to care for the poor? "There should be no poor among you" Deut 15:4 Yes there was an unbelievable amount of idolatry going on, but they had failed so many people in need. God restored Israel and expected them(and us) to embody a kingdom in which there is no poverty Rev 21:1-4 And let me tell you that We. Are. Failing!!
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. (that's you & me) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possesions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, (that's us again) let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and in TRUTH." 1 John 3:16-18
As Christians most of us understand this but where we FAIL is with the ACTION part. We MUST find where we can take ACTION to be a part of caring for the poor, the widows & the orphans. God has commanded us to do so! There is absolutely no excuse for poverty. period!
This is what God says will happen if we share our food, provide shelter, clothe them and NEVER turn away from those in need.
"Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear gaurd. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. If you do away with the yoke of opression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the opressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday" Isa 58:1-3, 5-10
Wow!! Nuff said!
I Urge you to find where God what's YOU to join HIM, where He is ALREADY working!