“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
I was in a conversation yesterday with a couple guys when the focus shifted to a person I did not know. It was very affirming so I enjoyed the good report about this man. Suddenly it was said that he was very well off and “very tight with a nickel”. The next comment was that that was probably why he was well off. My mind left the conversation as I thought of some of the most generous people I had in my life and how blessed they were. I reflected also on scripture like this verse that indicate the generous who give freely to those in need will find the Lord blessing them. I returned to the conversation and mentioned this. One of the guys commented that his father was a preacher and he seemed to remember his father making this point as well. I’m also struck by how this verse talks about those who close their eyes to the poor. The image here is that they choose to ignore them. Today the only way to miss the poor is to intentionally put on blinders. I was in a parking lot in our small downtown yesterday when a tap on my driver side window made me jump. Outside was a poor, disheveled, shell of a person. I rolled the window down, actually a little hesitantly, asked what they needed and was asked to spare a few dollars. I reached in my center console and handed him some. I was initially annoyed then my spirit reminded me that this was who Jesus came for. Today bless the poor. #BeTheEdge
“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.’” Jesus
