Consider the Poor
READ IT ALOUD: Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in  time of trouble (Psalm 41:1).
PONDER IT PRAYERFULLY: God moves on earth on behalf of His children, and very often, He does this through human beings.
Life nowadays is hectic and selfish; people hardly seem to have time to think about others. Many wake up in the morning, and after a mad dash, get to work. They work all day and get home just in time for some sleep. And so on, from Monday to Friday, sometimes Saturday… sometimes seven days a week. There is barely time to think about others. When many see poor people in the streets, they think, “Well, if you did like me and got yourself a job, you wouldn’t have to hold that cup out for some coins.”
The poor are not just people who are doing badly financially, but also people who are going through tough times. I am sure you have heard someone say, “Poor child!” for example. The way of the world today is to say that everyone must help themselves if they are to have any hope.
But this is not God’s way. God helps the helpless (Isaiah 25:4). He says that those who think of the poor and are considerate toward them are blessed. They will be delivered by Him in times of trouble.
Why is this so? I believe it is because God is a Just God. He Himself helped us when we were weak, dead in our sins, and had nobody to help us into life (Romans 5:6). He has promised that what we sow, we will reap. We are His vessels on earth, as we have learnt. If we are obedient and yield to His call to use us to bless the poor, then one day, when we are “in trouble”, He will send someone to deliver us, or He will do it Himself. “Trouble” is a time of weakness, a time when we cannot deliver ourselves. When we are in trouble, we become “poor” in a sense. We should always remember that just like tough times do not last forever, good times are also ephemeral in this realm. Remembering those who are in trouble is sowing a seed toward our own times of trial.
BE A DOER (JAMES 1:22): Considering the poor begins with letting go of judgment. If we truly love God, we will truly love His children. Love is patient and kind and does not jump to false conclusions. If we see someone in a situation that we have the resources to help them out of by God’s grace, then we must not hesitate to act. Those who are in Him practice the law of kindness in their speech (Proverbs 31:26). They are not rash to insult or come to conclusions about a person’s situation. They do not patronize or manipulate. And God blesses them for it.
Considering the poor does not necessarily mean giving them things or lifting them out of their poverty. Sometimes we have no silver and gold to offer them. We can always pray for them. Prayer is the best gift anyone can give. It is a gift of love, selflessness and obedience to God.
HIDE IT IN YOUR HEART (PSALM 119:11): Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3-4).
PRAY IT PERSONALLY: Lord, You love every person that You have created. Teach me the value of every human being. Help me to consider the poor and to live a life of love, following the example that You set for me. Let me learn to esteem others above myself and to pray for all men as You have commanded in 1 Timothy 2. Thank You for hearing my prayer, in Jesus’ Name.
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