Help! Love, MOM

In a previous post we talked about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act left out the poor from the large benefit it offers to wealthier Americans.

The OBBBA made me remember that, following the death of George Floyd, my pastor preached and taught from the Bible, on the theme of justice. What I remember most from that period of teaching at our church is, based on the Bible, justice is not only expected, it is an action to take and not ONLY a pair of hands to wring.

Similarly, in the Bible, the restorative, compassionate treatment of the poor is action oriented. In other words it’s thoughts and prayers along with purposeful and courageous actions leading to concrete, tangible personal and societal transformation on the behalf of others.

According to the Bible, merely having feelings of sorrow or compassion for the poor is the beginning of showing genuine care not the final word on behalf of the less fortunate.

My daughter and I have had very little money at times in our lives. We were what used to be called the working poor.

Thank God I always or usually had a job. However entry level work often did not pay enough to live on with any degree of relief from worry and agitation over paying bills, keeping a growing child fed & in basic sneakers while paying tuition.

For me, a college education was the way out.

For others it is technical education ie learning a trade has paved the road to the middle class for many.

Multiplied millions of others are still seeking that “way out.”

If you’re doing better, think about someone that you can offer dignified assistance.

If you are still in the struggle, be encouraged. God has not forgotten you.

But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalm 9:18

Scriptures to Encourage Our Faith in God and Generosity to One Another

1. Leviticus 19:9–10 — LEAVE SOMETHING ASIDE FOR THE POOR God commanded Israel not to harvest the edges of their fields or pick up fallen grain, leaving it for the poor and the stranger. Generosity was built into the agricultural system itself — the poor had a God-given right to the margins. Ruth and Naomi benefitted from the fact that Boaz obeyed this law.

2. Deuteronomy 15:7–8 — HEART & HAND GO TOGETHER Generosity toward the poor is framed not as optional charity but as a posture of the heart. The degree to which and the attitude toward helping the poor is an accurate test of whether God’s love dwells in us.

3. Deuteronomy 15:11 — BE PERSISTENT IN HELPING THE POOR Poverty is acknowledged as an ongoing reality, and the response God requires is not passive sympathy but active, ongoing generosity. The people of God are well advised to guard against “compassion fatigue.”

4. Psalm 41:1 — THINK CAREFULLY & CONSIDER ABOUT THE POOR The word “considers” implies thoughtful, intentional attention — not a passing glance, but genuine regard for the poor person’s situation.

5. Proverbs 14:31 — SHOW RESPECT FOR ALL To be disrespectful to others especially due to social class is an offense against God, who made all in His image.

6. Proverbs 19:17 — BE REWARDED BY THE LORD Picture it and rejoice. Every act of kindness toward the poor is treated as a direct interaction with God Himself.

7. Proverbs 21:13 — THE “REWARD” OF MISTREATING THE POOR “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out himself and not be heard.” There is a solemn reciprocity here — God always answers His children. However, we may not be heard by others when we willfully and habitually ignore the needy. Sadly, we may find our own cries unheard in a critical time.

8. Proverbs 31:8–9 — SPEAK UP; SPEAK OUT “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute… defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Justice for the poor requires not only monetary giving, but advocacy. Let’s use our voices, our votes, our platforms and influence on behalf of our brothers and sisters.

9. Isaiah 58:6–7 — TRUE FASTING God rejects religious ritual disconnected from justice: the fast He chooses is to “share your bread with the hungry.” True worship is closely connected to care for the vulnerable.

10. Amos 5:21–24 — EMPTY RELIGIOUS ANTICS- NO! God declares He despises Israel’s feasts and offerings because they have trampled the poor. He demands that “justice roll down like waters.” The Bible knows nothing of religious observance without economic consideration..

11. Ezekiel 16:49 — The Sin of Sodom Redefined – ABUNDANCE W/O GENEROSITY While we tend to think of the sin of Sodom’s mainly as sexual, at least part of their sin, God says, was that she had “pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” The Bible positions abundance without generosity as a grave sin in God’s sight.

Next post we will look at 11 more scriptures about God’s expectations from us and rewards for us as we consider the poor, lifting their burdens, walking along side them in the tough seasons of life.

Many Blessings!

Kimberly