Poor

Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor. 

 - From Proverbs 22

There isn't a problem in the world today, that doesn't trace back to lack of charity on the part of the haves, towards the have-nots, as the ultimate root cause of everything. 

The Old Testament made the point aggressively clear: We have to care for others, starting with our own. God names these others: Orphans. Widows. Aliens. 

That's it. Make sure your kids, your elders, and people from outside your circle, are taken care of. When he says "aliens" it really is referring to anybody winding up in your back yard, or even at your front stoop, that got there from some other place. 

Yeah, sure . . . the American Left, particularly the non-believer Left, rubs out face in it all the time, but focused on the "caring for aliens" part; in defense of an open borders policy. Well. they kinda get it, and it's good to get these reminders, no matter where they come from. 

But the Gospel is personal. God comes to us, and meets us where we are, face to face. He prefers the personal touch. And when He advises us as to our behavior, he's talking about helping others in the way it is most awkward: those right there in front of us: Our kids. Our parents. Our grandparents. Our aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

Are they well? Are they lonely? Are the young angry because of a lack of parenting? Are they sick? Are they hungry?

Are your own okay?

Is that unemployed, homeless person that has wandered into your community going to be taken care of? Or will you send him off where he can become even more resentful and angry? Yes, angry . . . at you!

We'd rather post our virtue-signaling memes about how compassionate we are (or more accurately, how uncompassionate OTHERS are). We can put Scripture verses in people's faces. We can point the finger. 

God asks you to make sure your family, your distant relatives, you neighbors . . . everybody within your personal orbit, that you can personally help . . . are okay, before going out and telling other people about what they're not doing (usually via politics). 

There's a critical point, a tipping point, where enough people are acting charitable, in this way, that the general population would not even dream there's a problem worthy of passing off to government. I don't know what that number is. But my guess is that it's only 10% of the population. That's how many people we need, doing what God has asked all of us to do - - - help the poor. Personally. With our own resources. 

Let's get on it.