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Do You See Them?
Proverbs 14:21 says, “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.”
Is it easy to look the other way when a neighbor is in need? Do you see the “needy” around you?
Casting Crowns has a song titled “Does anybody hear her?” which has this stanza:
Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her?
For many of us, seeing and hearing the needs around us takes effort and intention. Be intentional today!
Proverbs 14:31 says, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Be Kind to the Poor
Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
We can lend to the Lord by being kind to the poor—extending His active, loving concern for the poor and needy.
Serving the poor is serving the Lord. Start by praying for the poor, and He may lead you to serve precious poor children by volunteering at an after-school program; or He may show you needs in your community that you haven’t previously noticed.
The Lord rewards kindness to the poor. Your reward may simply be the fulfillment of seeing your family’s faith lived out in a practical, hands-on opportunity.
With the Right Motivation…
Attracting “Friends”
Proverbs 19:6 says, “Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.”
If you are generous, you might attract a lot of “friends”, so continue to rely on God’s discernment for how and where to show your generosity. But don’t stop being generous…
Proverbs 21:13 says, “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”
Ask God to grow compassion in you.
