James 2:5-7
My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. You mistreat the poor. But isn’t it the rich who boss you around and drag you off to court? Aren’t they the ones who make fun of your Lord?
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The other day, I dressed Timothy in a really cute outfit – t-shirt, shorts and sweater vest. Soon afterward, he asked for a chocolate cookie. He ate the cookie and promptly wiped his hand on his t-shirt sleeve. We were headed out the door on a long trip, so I didn’t take time to change his shirt. That turned out to be a wise decision. We stopped at a Sonic® for lunch, and he dribbled ketchup on his sweater vest! By the time we had finished with lunch, I looked at him and thought, “My grandmother would say, ‘You look like an orphan!’” I know… this is not a nice statement… but it’s one I bet we have all used at some point… and we didn’t give it a second thought!
I was talking with a friend who is involved in foster care, and we were discussing clothing needs. She said that there is presently a great need for boys’ clothing in all sizes… but she stressed it needed to be nice clothing. I knew instantly what she meant. I remember all too well the less fortunate children who came through my kindergarten class… many of them dirty and disheveled, and most in clothing that was well-worn at best – if not downright tattered. It was one more thing for these precious little souls to deal with. The leaders of our local foster care program get this! They have vowed to make sure the children in their charge at least have decent clothing to wear… and can hopefully avoid ridicule or stereotypes based on their appearance.
Now I ask you… does God love these innocent children any less if they are dirty or unkempt? Absolutely not! Does He care more for the children whose appearance is always perfect… hair neatly trimmed, buttons and bows in place, the name-brand tags and logos clearly visible to let everyone know that someone broke the bank to pay for the outfits? No way! Yet we look at a child who appears poor and needy - or those in foster care - with pity and disdain, while we pat ourselves on the back for being such “good Christians” who support missions in our churches and give to charity.
In essence, many of us don’t really believe that God loves those we assist as much as He loves us! We pity them, toss money (and maybe a little personal attention) their way, and shake our heads. We say, “It’s too bad about So-and-so.” And if we have this attitude toward innocent little children, we are truly capable of anything!
The time has come for us to wake up and recognize that God loves each of us… equally. Many of the poor – financially, intellectually, physically and emotionally, or even spiritually – got there through little or no fault of their own. Life… and even so-called “Christians” beat them down… with ridicule, unfair judgment, and arrogance. We need to start building others up… loving unconditionally… sharing the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ with EVERYONE and representing Him 1000% via our daily living, our words, and our actions. I guarantee you, I will think twice before I ever tell another child, “You look like an orphan,” because we start with the smallest of things. The devil can use even this simple phrase to grab hold of our heart and our attitude.
Who among you is “poor” in some manner today? Who needs you to reach out and offer a smile, a kind word, or more? Where do you need an attitude adjustment about God… your relationship with Him… and who else is included in His kingdom? I don’t know if you are one of the rich… or perhaps one who is considered “poor.” But I do know that God loves you AND the other guy… and you can each have equal shares in His kingdom. How are you honoring His gifts of grace and mercy these days? Are you truly operating in Christian faith and love… or are you claiming the name of Christ while you make fun of our LORD? We need to figure it out… and get busy getting this right! Are you in?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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