Caring for the Poor and Needy

 There is a long tradition amongst Christians to give of their incomes to the church. This is biblically mandated by God in the Old Testament as a way of providing for the Levites. The Levites were the tribe of Israel that was in charge of the temple of God and did not own property as the other eleven tribes did. One might be tempted to think that tithing is no longer necessary as we no longer live under Old Testament law. However, Jesus specifically said in Mathew 5:17 that he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. For this reason, we still bring our tithes (ten percent of our income) to the church.

However, the Bible talks not only of tithes, but of offerings. Offerings are monetary gifts given to God through various means that go above and beyond ten percent of one’s income. It is often through tithes that Christians take care of the costs of keeping a church open. It is through offerings that they reach out to those in need in their communities and in their lives.

Offerings can be given directly to the church and distributed through a church’s benevolence funds. This is a perfectly acceptable way to offer of one’s resources to the Lord. However, there are many people in the world in need of help who may never darken the doors of a church. That is where believers have the opportunity and responsibility to give of their resources on their own.

There are many good reasons for a believer to give above and beyond his required ten percent. Caring for those who can’t adequately care for themselves is something that has always been important to God. Deuteronomy 15:11 says “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy.” God acknowledges the poor in the land and explains his system to care for them. Ephesians 4:28 says “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” We are encouraged to work with our hands so that we have the resources to care for those I need.  In Galatians 6:2 we are commanded to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” It’s not just a suggestion that we carry each other’s burdens. It’s the law.  Hebrews 13:16 admonishes us “Do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased.” It pleases God when his children care for each other.

However, we’re not just told to care for the poor and needy just because it’s important to God, although this would be reason enough. Hebrews 6:10 tells us that “God is not unjust, he will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” Showing kindness to others is a tangible way of serving God. He draws a direct parallel between our service to Him and our service to others. Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” This verse tells us that the people we serve will draw this same parallel. They will look at our good deeds and glorify God as a direct result. Matthew 25:35-40 really brings this home. “’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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit 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? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes an clothe you? when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The king will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” In the following five verses, we see the other side of this equation for those who did not help with verses 44 and 45 saying “they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.’”

There is a third aspect of giving which Randy Alcorn explains quite effectively in his book The Treasure Principle.  Luke 12:33-34 tells us to “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail. Where no thief comes near and no moth destroys for where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” You can’t take your treasure with you, but you can send it on ahead. Luke 6:38 says “Give and it will be given unto you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” We are to give generously of what we have been given and God will reward our faith. Proverbs 19:17 corroborates this point by saying “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 22:9 continues this point with “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”

However, in Philippians 2:3-4 we are warned “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others.” Our motivation matters. If we are giving out of a desire to be rewarded, our motivation is wrong. James 1:17 reminds us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.” Nothing that we have belongs to us. It is only in our possession thanks to the generous nature of God. It is important for us to remember that we are but stewards of God’s resources. Give credit where credit is due.

James 2:14-17 really ties all this together well. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.’ But does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Our giving is a direct indication of our faith. We only hold tightly to what we have if we don’t trust god to give us what we need. We have the massive blessing of being the executers of God’s estate. We get to be the channels through which God blesses those around us. We get to give freely from God’s storehouse and watch Him change lives.

So, the natural response to such a realization is to consider how the present-day church is doing in regards to the poor and needy. How are we caring for the widows and orphans? I am sure that there are many churches that are working very hard in this area. A 2017 article on Christianitytoday.com titled How Many Churches Does America Have? More Than Expected cited a 2012 National Congregations Study that stated that the U.S. had 384,000 congregations. I doubt very much that all of these churches are taking the Poor and Needy mandate seriously. My primary evidence for this statement is the United States Welfare System.

I firmly believe that the safety net system we have in our country would be completely irrelevant and altogether unnecessary if Christians in America were fulfilling their responsibility to their fellowman. I specify Christians here, not the church in general. The church can and should participate in caring for the less fortunate in her respective communities, but God’s plan for caring for widows and orphans starts with the family unit. Every family is responsible to care for their own. First Timothy 5:8 says, “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” In circumstances where there is no family infrastructure to care for someone in need, it is certainly appropriate for the church to step in. However, the church’s primary responsibility is to facilitate spiritual growth for believers.

There is also something to be said about the priorities for giving. I think the Bible indicates that we should care for fellow believers before we care for strangers. John 13:34-35 says “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If we don’t care for each other, we send a mixed message to the people to whom we are witnessing. While our existence is certainly more than our physical needs, it is not less than our physical needs.

So, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:4) “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” Proverbs 3:27) “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:13). And “…Anyone who has two shirts should share with one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:11)

One final thought, often we wonder how much of our resources we should give to those in need. C.S. Lewis addresses this point in his book Mere Christianity and I don’t think I can express it any better than he. “I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditures on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are far too small.”