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.
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.
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