Remember the Poor

Greetings,

Another reading from Charles H. Spurgeon (one of the greatest English preachers at the turn of the century).  This is an interesting commentary, and regardless of the reasons for the existence of the poor, a real challenge to us.

Remember the poor  (Galatians 2:10).

Why does God allow so many of His children to be poor?  He could make them all rich if He pleased. He could lay bags of gold at their doors.  He could send them a large annual income.  He could scatter around their house an abundance of provisions, as He made the quails lie in heaps around the camp of Israel and rained bread out of heaven to feed them.  “The cattle upon a thousand hills are his” (Psalm 50:10).  He could make the richest and the mightest bring all their power and riches to the feet of His children, for the hearts of all men are in His control.  But He does not choose to do so. 

Why is this?  There are many reasons: one is to give us, who are favored with enough, an opportunity to show our love for Jesus.  We show our love for Christ when we sing of Him and pray to Him.  But if there were no needy people in the world, we would lose the sweet privilege of evidencing our love by ministering in sacrificial giving to His poorer brethren.  He has ordained that thus we should prove that our love stands not in word only, but in deed and in truth.  If we truly love Christ, we will care for those who are loved by Him.  Those who are dear to Him will be dear to us.  Let us then look on it not as a duty, but as a privilege, to relieve the poor of the Lord’s flock—remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

Yours & His,

DED