Proverbs 19:17 says this:
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him.
THIS was God's intention for His people! Notice that He isn't forcing anyone to do anything, rather He is offering the opportunity and promising the rewards for obedience! To "have pity on" is the Hebrew word "chanan", which means: to be gracious; considerate; to pardon; to show mercy. Look at this verse from the Living Bible:
17 When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord-and he pays wonderful interest on your loan! TLB
God's plan is for His people to use the Blessing in our lives (John 10:10) to meet our own families' needs, to spread the Gospel, and to use a part of it to HELP the poor! Do you remember when Jesus said this in Mark 14:7:
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have Me. AMP
They will not be poor because GOD wants them poor, but because they do not understand and/or DO what the Word of God says to do in order to walk in the abundance of THE BLESSING! When WE make the CHOICE to help the poor, GOD Himself will repay, multiplied! What has happened in our nation is that those who are ignorant of God, His Word, and His Ways have made the government responsible for "helping" the poor! Don't you know that God's ways are ALWAYS better than man's ways? This current government system has produced even more poor people and has completely robbed the people of God of the opportunity to sow seed that produces! AND, they have kept people from turning to the God of the Bible for the help that only HE can give! Let's pray for our nation to wake up to its folly and return to the God of the Bible. In the meantime, what is keeping YOU from obeying God's Word whenever and wherever He gives opportunity? Be a DOER of the Word and receive the Word's results! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Hope of the World":
Shalom in Him!
