Proverbs 28:27
Giving to the poor
will keep you from poverty,
but if you close your eyes
to their needs,
everyone will curse you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
As
Pope Francis has made his way through several American cities, he has
repeatedly referenced the plight of the poor in our world. Speaking
before a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., on September
24th, Pope Francis said, “…I would encourage you to keep in mind all
those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too
need to be given hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be
fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes.” Pope
Francis acknowledged “the spirit of enterprise”…but he noted that it
must be used for the common good.
I’ve watched countless children
play with toys. It’s not unusual to see a child who has more items
than he/she can manipulate and enjoy reach and grab for more…at the
expense of other children who have very few spread before them. Human
nature seems to dictate an urge in many of us to hoard at a very early
age…and the devil “takes that ball and runs with it!”
How can
giving to the poor keep us from poverty? I can almost guarantee that
every person who reads these words has access to more food than he/she
can eat. We would likely never miss half a dozen garments from our
closet…and we surely would not go naked. If we passed up downloading a
couple of songs or apps…or we made a pot of coffee at home and put it an
insulated drink container instead of purchasing a gourmet version at a
coffee shop for $3-5…we could feed several people on the money saved.
We think nothing of paying $50-$300 or more for a ticket to watch a
3-hour football game or attend a 2-hour concert…yet we often cringe at
the thought of “giving up” 50¢ a day to provide water for a thirsty
child – or $10 to buy a mosquito net* to “protect a family and save a
life.”
If we conserve energy, recycle, and pay attention to
greenhouse emissions, we can create an environment that is more
conducive to the growth of plants and animals that will sustain the
world. As Pope Francis has so beautifully expressed, all of our efforts
matter…and they add up in the scheme of things! Too many people want
to say, “Let the other guy do this. It’s not my problem.” In truth,
this is our problem…and not only are we reminded of this by
political and religious leaders of the world…the scripture speaks to
this quite plainly!
We have no excuse. There is something that
each of us can do. There are local charities that need your help. If
you need a place to begin, there are probably more than a few ministries
and missions sponsored by your own church or that of a friend. You can
search online for organizations that champion world hunger, clean
water, adequate health care for children, and more. There are even
websites that will “vet” these charities to tell you which ones spend
the largest share of your contribution(s) on actually helping those in
need.
We cannot put this off any longer. God has called us to be
good stewards of His many blessings…and the time to do so is NOW!
Where – and how - will you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*http://nothingbutnets.org
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