Love the Poor

My wife and I will be going down to Fayetteville, AR tonight to support the Cobblestone Project. Hopefully they have an awesome turn out! Their ministry does some amazing things to help out the poor, needy and homeless.

I think it's sad we aren't taking care of our neighbors better. There are so many in this country that need help buying food and clothing, but we choose to spend our money on ipods, cell phones, movies, games, 10 extra pairs of shoes, etc. With the amount of people that claim to be Christians in this country, the problem of poverty (here at home) should have been solved long ago. Most of us have more than enough, yet we have a hard time giving it away. I'm not innocent in this either, I think we all have some growing to do.
When you look at it through the Old Testament, the scary part is comparing us to Sodom. Most people remember that they were destroyed because of their abundance of promiscuous sins. Yet, the core of their problem was much deeper and is found in the book of Ezekiel. Their sexual sins, while wrong, simply showed how evil their hearts had become. Their bigger problem was they had been blessed immensely, but gave nothing to those who needed it. They were lazy, arrogant, selfish and gluttonous. If we fail to help out those in need, we will follow the same path to destruction as Sodom. We are commanded to serve the poor, it isn't a request.


Ezekiel 16:49
Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.

Deuteronomy 15:7
If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!

Luke 3:11
John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”


We hope to see some people we recognize out there! Have a great weekend and enjoy this cool weather while it lasts!