Creative Space for Wanderers
I think it’s obvious to say, but perhaps it needs to be restated, everyone should be kind to those in need. Sometimes we need to have a simple, brief reminder. Here are three verses from the book of Proverbs to read and reflect upon: It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is …
Pull up a chair. Sit and listen to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians: All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. The impact of this single verse fails to convey the powerful punch with which it …
Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah as he cuts through the noise and calls us to true worship: “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your …
Jesus is speaking to a gathering at a prominent Pharisee’s home when He shares a parable that ends with: But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Isn’t …
Continue reading “Be blessed: Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind”
Not everyone has the capacity to provide material things for others, but the Apostle John provides this simple reminder for those who can help: If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? One of …
I’m stuck on Psalm 9 this morning (actually it started yesterday). In particular, this verse keeps ringing in my ears: But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. How can anyone be still after hearing that God is so concerned for the needy? Can we just read this …
Today’s inspiration comes from the ancient text recorded in the book of Isaiah. The introduction to the most significant prophetic work in the Bible includes this rebuke: Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah’s words are strong and powerful. …
What if serving those in need was more than merely a good thing to do? Job makes his case in chapter 31: 13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me, 14 what will I do when God confronts me? What will …
Continue reading “Serving those in Need: Holy Responsibility”
The series I’m creating here focuses on the Biblical mandate for serving the least, the lost, and the lonely. Those who are lonely are often the outcasts of society. The group transcends age, race, and income level. Someone can be incredibly wealthy and be inconsolably lonely. Loneliness leads to many mental health issues, and sadly, …
To what degree do we systemically oppress the poor? The question arises amid the popular notion of social justice in our society. The young-adult generation sees social justice as a means to defend the rights of those who are otherwise overlooked. Most forget the fact that the concept is deeply ingrained in the Bible. This …