Value #6 -- Our Responsibility to the Poor

WWe believe the church has a mandate to serve the poor.  (Isaiah 1:16-17, James 1:27, Matthew 25:31-46) 

Scripture is very clear that God has a particular affinity for the poor, oppressed and marginalized.  From the prophets, to Jesus Himself, God called believers everywhere to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the broken as an essential part of the Gospel.

I know this one might be a little controversial for some people, but I can't quite figure out why.  God's care for the poor and marginalized is plastered all over the pages of scripture.  While the evangelical church in America works harder and harder on making great worship services, traditionally we've largely ignored the poor.  This is what Isaiah was talking about when he wrote these words to the nation of Israel:

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD,
   you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the instruction of our God,
   you people of Gomorrah!
¹¹ “The multitude of your sacrifices—
   what are they to me?” says the LORD.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
   of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
   in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
¹² When you come to appear before me,
   who has asked this of you,
   this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
   Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
   I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
¹⁴ Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
   I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
   I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer,
   I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
   I am not listening.
   Your hands are full of blood!
   ¹⁶ Wash and make yourselves clean.
   Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
   stop doing wrong.
¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
   Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
   plead the case of the widow.

He's saying all your worship of me is detestable to God if it isn't accompanied by care for the oppressed, widows, and orphans.  I believe this is a call not just to Israel, but a call to the church today as well.

The good news is that I think even the evangelical church is beginning to take notice and heed the words of Jesus who said, "whatever you did to the least of these my brothers and sisters you did to me."  We believe this is an essential part of what it means to be a church that wants to build the Kingdom of God. 

But I think I need to make another clarification when it comes to serving the poor.  Perhaps we could better say that we have a mandate to "identify" with the poor.  It's one thing to give them some money or serve them a meal and be on our way, but never really associate with them or get to know them, it's another thing to find it worthwhile to see that they may have something to teach us.

I think it's often easy for us to take a paternalistic attitude toward the poor and "stoop down to help them."  But I don't think it's a paternalistic attitude that God calls us to have.  Think about the example we have in Jesus.  The guy we try to emulate is the guy who left the luxuries of heaven to come, not help from above, but to serve and lift up from below.  When Jesus came, He didn't come as a king or dignitary or religious leader.  He came as a common man.  For the years of Him ministry He didn't really own anything or have a place to live.  He knew what it was like to rely on the gifts and grace of other people.  He knew what it was like to be subject to the whims of the influential in society.  Not only did Jesus help the poor, He identified with them.  He showed them God values them by valuing them Himself.

What we receive from the poor is an understanding of the core of the gospel.  When we associate with the poor, we learn that we're not self-made.  We learn that whatever we have came as a result of the right circumstances and the people who went before us.  That's not to say people can't work hard and make a better life for themselves, but sometimes people don't have the opportunities to "lift themselves up by their bootstraps."  As much as we'd like to think we're self-made, when we associate with the poor, we understand the advantages we've been given in life and accept them with grace and worship.

That's why it's not our intent to come to the city from the suburbs and retreat to our luxury homes.  Our call is to live simply, to give generously and serve humbly.  We don't (and won't) judge people who have more or live more, but we believe the church has a responsibility to the poor and we will look for ways to fulfill that responsibility.