God doesn't care about the poor because they are poor but because they are people and God loves people. The trouble is people 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 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) Of course the wishing well is as important as the providing for basic needs. After a pandemic hiatus we are finally able to host our Room in the Inn guests and I'm back to making eggs to order for the Wednesday breakfast. Our new guests are always surprised that they get a choice for breakfast which is why I do it. When it comes down to it having the choice of sunny side up or over easy or scrambled or a Ham and Cheese Omelet is of equal if not more value to the one being served than the egg itself. It’s all about the dignity that choice affords us and at RITI it's not about charity. It's all about relationship.
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