Posted by
peripheral on Friday, October 02, 2009 6:39:58 AM
From My Perspective - - -
Earthquakes and Tsunamis – the very words suggest devastation and
catastrophe. This is the news about Samoa and Indonesia, along with
flooding in the Philippines and other areas. It means the loss of life
and possessions. It impacts those who are otiose (being at leisure,
idle, indolent; the ineffective or futile) as well as those who
benefited from their opulence (wealth, riches, or affluence; abundance,
as of resources or goods; plenty). Inasmuch as there are many more in
the “poor” category than in the “well-off”, it appears as though some
in the otiose area just can’t gain any traction or advance their status
from where they are to where they aspire to be.
Groups that endeavor to assist those with on-going needs or who are
experiencing emergency or catastrophic circumstances are stretched
beyond their capacity. With the increase in unemployment and reduction
of fixed incomes, charitable and benevolent giving has been negatively
impacted. With the financial decisions of our government, it is only a
matter of time before inflation, increased interest rates and income
tax increases become a reality and burden – which also will impact
charitable and benevolent participation. It even impacts the dead - in
cities across our nation, there is an increasing number of unclaimed
bodies accumulating in morgues – no family coming forward to claim a
body - and in many instances because they are unable to pay for the
associated costs.
A focus in terms of need awareness and response toward the needy is
given in the Laws God established for His people. One is directed to be
“open-handed”! In Deuteronomy 15:4-11:
“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the
land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or
tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely
lend him whatever he needs. Give generously to him and do so without a
grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you
in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will
always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be
openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your
land.” There is also to be sensitivity toward those one employs – Deuteronomy 24:14-15,
Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he
is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him
his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on
it.” Proverbs 22:22-23
has a firm resolve in this regard: “Do not exploit the poor because
they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will
take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.” And. The
word of instruction in Psalm 82:3-4,
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the
poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the
hand of the wicked.”
One day, Mary used expensive perfume to anoint the feet of Jesus. Judas
Iscariot protested on the basis that the perfume should have been sold
and the proceeds made available for ministry to the poor. In John 12:6,
the observation made about Judas Iscariot is: “He did not say this
because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper
of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” In John 12:8,
Jesus makes this declaration: “You will always have the poor among you,
but you will not always have me." Amazing words – “you will always have
the poor among you” – demonstrating care of and for them is an ongoing
responsibility and ministry. With those who are otiose, the response
can be more measured. We are allowed to utilize the instruction of II Thessalonians 3:10,
“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will
not work, he shall not eat." However, we should try to maintain a
balance as we employ the axiom of John Wesley who stated and practiced:
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you
can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the
people you can, As long as ever you can.” This should be the starting
point and commitment for each of us. Consider these things with me.