Being Compassionate to the Poor - Lisa Patterson

Today we will discuss ways to be compassionate to the poor and needy. Psalms 41:1 says ",Blessed is he who considers the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on earth: you will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness. And you will sustain him on his sickbed."
If a brother or sister is without clothes and food and you say, Go I wish you well: keep warm and fed, but does nothing, what good is it? Action without faith is dead. we are commanded and not asked to help the poor. People are not always poor because they make themselves that way or because they always lazy. There are some like that, but the Bible here is referred to as the poor. It may be poor in health or poor in heart, or poor in belongings. But they may not can help the conditions they are in.
It isn't always easy to just go get a job. And a Mother with 3-4 kids cannot always get the help they need. You say there are helps out there. But a daycare cost lots of money and if the Father isn't around, which is so much of the case, then she's at the hands of the mercy of society.
Matthew 25:40 says "Whatever you've done for one of the least of these, you did it for me." Do good whether it feels good to you because it's not about you anyway. And give your best, as God in heaven sees what you do, and it's pleasing to the Lord to do it anyway. It is between you and the Lord and no one else what you do.
There are others who cannot help being poor. And it is sad to see older people who have worked all their lives to get older and nothing but Social Security is available for them. They may have had devastating circumstances with their children. Or someone may have been sick in the family and it took resources they didn't forsee to help in trying times.I see these things on a daily basis. And the one that touches my heart the most is, of course, the special needs individual. Most people don't know how hard it is to take care of these people all alone. They only receive a government
 check if they are single. That doesn't hardly pay for anything. They have to rely on the government to help. Then there's no help for the child/adult so the parent can work and make more money.That's why we are here to try to help.
 So, I say this to say I see all kinds of impoverished people who need the love of Jesus and kind words. They need to know someone is there to talk to and help when needed, Not to be taken advantage of, but to show them that Christ Loves them and does not want them poor in any way.
Let's reach out and help those who need it most by way of food, kindness, mercy, and giving them the Love of Jesus.
This is Lisa Patterson with the Good News that Jesus Loves You and wants you today.