Open Your Hand to the Poor

Acts of Worship
Stewardship for Life

Serving the Least

Deuteronomy 15:7-11  The Message

^7-9 When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that selfish voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.
^10-11 Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.

For Reflection 

There will always be poor among us.  For some, it will be a temporary condition.  For others, the circumstances will result in chronic long term poverty, extending even into the children and the children's children.   

For those who suffer poverty, there is no difference.  The pain is the same, except for some the pain and imprisonment of poverty lasts longer. 

It is easy to think that poverty affects only those who are impoverished.  But the impact of long term poverty cripples the whole society.  Poverty breeds rebellion and just as the good life corrupts, poverty is a petri dish for evil.

Pray

Pray for those who find themselves impoverished for the first time.  Pray for those whose chronic poverty inhibits a hopeful life.  Pray for all those suffering from all types of impoverishment.  Pray that they will find social, physical, emotional, economic and spiritual recovery and the endurance to live hopeful lives.