The Bold Truth

Mark 14:6-7

      Some truths are hard to swallow. One of the hardest is that there will always be poor people. No matter how much money we take from the rich and give to the poor, there will still be poor people. Robin Hood might have become a hero to some in our political realm, but Robin Hood didn’t solve the problem of the poor. And it isn’t a matter of scale either. Taking more money, making the rich poor, won’t solve the problem of the poor. Poor is something on the inside, not something reflected simply in the bank account.

      Mathematically we could make everyone’s income the same across the globe. We could balance the purchasing power of every person so that we could all afford the same basic items to sustain our lives. That could be done. But that wouldn’t solve the problem. Some people would use their portion to buy something they didn’t need and neglect some of the essentials, leaving them short at the end of the month. Thus the problem of the poor would not be solved.

      We see it in action here in the States today. Many poor people have some extravagant things in their lives. SUV’s, cable TV packages, big screen TVs, the newest cell phones, and steak purchased with food stamps. But they can’t pay their electric bill. Not every poor person in America is this way, but some are.

      Jesus said the poor will always be here. This is a hard statement. Our hearts want to solve the problem of hunger and neglect. But we must put this statement in context. The poor will always be here, but Jesus’ won’t! Jesus uses the poor to highlight the fact that He is leaving. His days on earth are numbered. He is going to die, come back to life, make some appearances and then return to Heaven and wait for the final days. He is leaving. The poor will still be here. If the disciples want to solve the poor problem, they can do it after He is gone.

      And in some respects, at certain times, the church has solved the poor problem. We read about it in the book of Acts. People who had money freely gave in order for the poor’s needs to be met. The poor recognized their need to work, to do something to contribute to the welfare of not only themselves, but also the community as a whole. They gave out of their poverty to enrich others, and in the process they themselves were enriched in ways they could never have imagined.

      Historically, the poor have received the most help from the church, and church run operations. I don’t know of many Atheist or Humanist soup kitchens! There aren’t many Progressive works programs that fund themselves. And yet day after day, week after week, millions are fed, clothed and sheltered through the generosity of God’s people. This often goes unnoticed and unappreciated by those on the outside looking in. But for those that are helped, it saves their lives.

      So maybe today you look around your world and figure out how to help the poor in your community in a way that will raise their dignity and empower them to grow. If you want to read more about how to do this, read the book Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton.

Limited Access

Mark 5:37

      Have you ever gone backstage at a music concert and rubbed shoulders with the performers? How about entered a building that needed an electronic key to enter? Or perhaps a fingerprint scanner? Did you ever have to be buzzed into an area? Had to use a password? Security question? Used a ticket to enter? Paid a toll?

      Each of these things limits access. They require permission of some type. Not everyone gets access. Some people are excluded. The world is not fair. Everyone doesn’t get the same access, income, talents, opportunities, looks, location, or any other limiting quality. Not everyone can live in Florida during the winter months. Everyone can’t live in Venice, Italy.

      Jesus didn’t even treat everyone the same. Jesus chose twelve disciples. This means He didn’t chose any of the other people who lived at that time. He excluded them from being part of the closest companions of Jesus. Peter, James and John did things with Him that the others didn’t. Thomas was offered the opportunity to verify the holes where the nails and spear went. The Apostle Paul was blinded by Jesus and commissioned to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. He ended up writing most of the letters in the New Testament.

      If you remember our story, Jairus’ daughter is ill to the point of death. Jairus has come to Jesus in a desperate effort at saving her. He has risked everything in this attempt. He could be rejected by his peers, his synagogue, his community. But none of that matters. His daughter needs Jesus.

      And now the news has come that his daughter has died. Jesus has asked him to believe. He is in a tough spot, a spot no parent wants to ever be in. When they get close to his house Jesus limits who can come in with him. Only Peter, James and John get to come out of all the disciples. “That’s not fair!” Shouldn’t all the disciples get the same opportunity to see Jesus at work? This gives Peter, James and John an advantage. And a responsibility!

      Everyone has the responsibility to contribute to the welfare of others, not just the rich. We are all responsible to do our share, our burden of the work of living in the world. While the rich have a responsibility to use their wealth for the benefit of others, the poor have a responsibility to use their resources wisely. Both groups have failed! But what do you expect from unbelievers! Sinners acting selfishly. Why does that surprise us? SUV’s and expensive cell phones are not a necessity, just like private jets and multiple houses. Both the poor and the rich are poor stewards of their resources. The poor have a responsibility to do “do something with their hands.” No work, no food.

      So how are you doing on using the resources you have? You have access to people and places that others don’t. How are you using that access to further God’s kingdom?

Your Rich Neighbor

Proverbs 14:20-21

      As you read about the rich having many friends, don’t you just want to say to the writer of this proverb, “Duh, tell me something a little less obvious!” It can seem as if the rich have it so easy, and in some ways you are correct. But I want to dig a little deeper.

      Take both proverbs together. Read them as though they were written at the same time on the same subject. (Oh, they were!) The first half of each proverb speaks about neighbors. The second half speaks about the rich. It is here that we get some insight into why the rich have many friends. The rich are kind to the needy.

      In the Bible, the rich are often maligned. But not all rich were the same. Some recognized that their wealth was not theirs to keep, but theirs to distribute. When the rich are obedient they see their wealth as something temporary and use it to help others. I don’t see a righteous wealthy person passing on billions of dollars to their families. Wealth is just a tool, like a screwdriver. It can be used for good or evil.

      It can be easy to despise the rich. They are an easy target. But despising them isn’t right. You see, we each have responsibilities to each other. The rich have the responsibility to be a good steward of the wealth entrusted to them. The poor have the responsibility to not despise the circumstances of the rich.

      I also hear some correction aimed at the poor. They are not to be beggars, unwilling to work for their wages. The poor can develop an attitude that can cripple them. They can appear as though they always have their hand extended, always asking for a handout. Of course we don’t see any of this in our country!

      We now have a record number of people living on government money, money taken from those who work and given to those who don’t. I know there are things broken about our system, but robbing the poor of their dignity by making them dependent on the government is a disgrace. We are failing as a culture to act responsibly. But then again, our culture has rejected the wisdom and the Giver of Wisdom, so we get what we deserve!

God Provides

Proverbs 13:23

This proverb doesn’t make sense to my modern ears. Does it make sense to you? Well, let’s see if I can help unpack it.

One of the laws of the Old Testament was called the Jubilee Year. Every 50 years the LORD required that the land would be left unused for that 50^th year. During that year the only people who were allowed to harvest the fields were the poor. Everyone else had to trust the LORD to provide for them for that period of time. The poor had to rely on the LORD for the rest of the years.

The LORD promised that the abundance of that year would sustain them. They had to trust the LORD. That is what they had to do. Trust and justice have to go hand in hand. The rich had a responsibility to help out the poor every year.

The rich also had to trust the LORD. They had to be willing to let the land go unused for two full years. Then they would plant in the 51^st year and wait for the harvest. You see it is always about trust. It would be easy to just ignore what the LORD has commanded. I mean, it is only every 50 years. Surely the LORD really didn’t mean it, right.

The reality is that Israel never did fulfill this command! They never let the land rest as they were commanded to do, and as a result they were send to a foreign country to live for seventy years. Quite a price to pay for disobedience!

So what should we take from this proverb? Well, first we need to be obedient! There is a high price for disobedience.

Second, we need to do our part to take care of the poor. We in the US are especially wealthy, even if we don’t want to admit it. We have food. We have shelter. Much of the world has neither on a consistent basis. Do something about it.

Third, do justice! Every day, in every way, do justice. Don’t compromise. The short term gains are never worth the long term costs.