Christis Thinker

What should be the Christian response to need and poverty?

Christ gave preferential treatment to the poor; so should we. In the gospel account of the Beatitudes, Luke has “Blessed are the poor“ whereas Matthew has “Blessed are the poor in spirit”. There seems to be a correlation between material poverty and spiritual wealth. The people who own less, Christ says, often have more.

To alleviate it and its causes

Prayerful giving and campaigning

It needs a revolution in attitudes to life

One of action; in the shape of prayer, giving and ‘hands on’ hard work to attack its causes and ease its effects, wherever possible. Some challenge

To stop thinking that every one else will work against it and to do something ourselves. Donating to charity should be the very least of our contributions.

‘Prompt’!

Make sure that it does not imply poor in spirit (although they will see God !)

Material and physical poverty should be as much our concern as spiritual poverty. We should never neglect either, though surely the spiritual needs of people should always be out priority as this deals with their eternal destiny, not just the transient, fleeting now.

Christians, I feel, have a responsibility to care for the poor and take definite steps towards combating poverty. The Parable of the Rich Fool tells us that earthly material wealth is not important and that riches have no long term significance as far as salvation is concerned. Instead we should SHARE what we have and help the poor. It is out-dated Victorian rhetoric that the homeless were MEANT to be on the streets and that they should stay there, because God put them there, etc, etc. Instead, we should help fight poverty, redistribute what resources we have and believe very strongly in life BEFORE death for everyone.

We look after those in our immediate family, and as God’s family our response to the suffering of others, of any kind, should be the same; LOVE.

A Christian’s response to poverty should be what the Holy Spirit moves him to do, as the best response at first sight might not be the best response over all. Laissez faire !

To attempt to alleviate suffering, whilst remembering the money is not the cure to all ills.

Next issue’s thinker is: Who is the Devil and what is Hell?

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Last modified: 25th November 2005


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