Do You Remember the Forgotten? Why the Church Shouldn't Ignore the Poor
Guest Commentary
Audio By Carbonatix
By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com
They stand on the street, begging for money. Maybe they live under bridges or at the neck of the woods in your neighborhood. Others hide in plain sight, sleeping on benches and wandering into stores like lost pets. If we're not careful, homeless and impoverished people pass by without our notice, but should they?
Sleep Out, a global movement to end youth homelessness, challenges individuals to give up their beds for the night, raising funds to donate to homeless victims in the process. Every night, thousands of young people face homelessness; in fact, according to Sleep Out, 4.2 million young people experience some form of homelessness each year in the U.S. On November 20th, participants can raise and donate $125 to support homeless teens in seeking shelter at Covenant House. In exchange, participants sleep outside in a legal location:
"The important piece is thinking about what comforts you will give up for the night. Your bed, of course, but also consider going without a pillow or blanket, comfy pajamas, or your usual nighttime rituals. Sleep Out is much more than an uncomfortable night's sleep. Your [help] adds to meaning and makes you a better advocate for youth overcoming homelessness."
While dozens of Bible verses point out the importance of helping the poor and impoverished around us, here are a few of my favorites:
-Proverbs 19:17: "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed" (ESV).
-Proverbs 14:31: "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him" (ESV).
-Acts 20:35: "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (ESV).
According to Trevin Wax, author at the Gospel Coalition, we all know that we should give to and help the poor, but there's a temptation in the mainstream Church to forget or overlook the marginalized.
"It’s easy to forget the poor," begins Wax. "We can get so focused on our activities of wealth-building, consumption, and self-protection that we lose sight of those in need. Sure, a natural disaster may jolt us awake to brothers and sisters who’ve lost everything, but we often overlook the ongoing struggle of people who live paycheck to paycheck, just hoping to make ends meet, or those who fall behind, whether because of societal injustice or family breakdown or the consequences of personal choices."
Wax is right, the Church has a huge responsibility to help and serve the poor, and this includes individual Christians and congregations as a whole. Serving the poor wasn't something exclusively made for the Apostle Paul or the Disciples (Galatians 2:10), but all of us. Proverbs 31:8-9 insists on three things we're all called to:
1. Speak up for the voiceless.
2. Judge and defend others with righteousness.
3. Uphold justice to the end.
Taking care of the poor requires faith and deeds, words and actions, as James 2:14-17 highlights. Instead of simply praying for the poor and moving on, we need to be willing to make room and get our hands dirty. This could include volunteering at a local homeless shelter, advocating, teaching others about generosity, or incorporating service projects into your weekly rhythms. No matter what you choose, remember that serving the Lord includes serving the poor. Ask yourself: "How can we as followers of Jesus ensure the poor are remembered in our lives and churches?" Reflect on this question and then spring into action.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SolStock
Related Articles:
5 Ways to Help the Poor (That Really Do Help!)
What Jesus Really Said about Poverty
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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
