Why Should We Help the Poor? Reason #2
Thursday, November 8th, 2007
Why Help the Poor? Reason 2: Because God takes it personally when we do (and when we don’t).
How do I figure? Well, let’s look at a teaching of Jesus:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Those being commended by the King are those who helped the needy. They didn’t realize that they were actually serving the King by serving those in need. The King, however, took note of the fact and rewards them for their service to Him.
Next comes something that should be terrifying to those who don’t help those in need around them: God takes it personally when we do not help the needy:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:32-46 KJV)
Those receiving the condemnation of the King had no clue that they were passing up the opportunity to serve the King each time they passed up an opportunity to help the poor. But again, the King took note and casts them off.
When we come across someone in need, and the poor have many needs, then we must recognize the opportunity to directly minister to our King. To refuse help, when it is in our power to give it, is to directly refuse the King.