God doesn't care about the poor because they are
poor. God cares about the poor because they are people and God loves people. The trouble is people do
show partiality, fawning over the powerful while neglecting those with the
greatest need, i.e. the weak and the orphan; the lowly and the destitute. But
in God’s design for human community those who wield the greatest power have the
greatest responsibility to act justly in the same way that “to whom much is
given much is required.” (Luke 12:48) When Jesus’ half-brother James (influenced no doubt by his step-brother) wrote
about works produced by faith he put it in the context of providing for the
poor. “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of
you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do
not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” (James 2:15,16) The
wishing the other well is equal to the providing for basic needs. That is one
of the reasons I make eggs to order for our room in the inn guests. When it comes down to it having the choice of how you like your eggs is of equal, if not more, value than the egg itself. And truth to be told I am always blessed by my
friends who tell me how they like their eggs. It’s all about
relationship.
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