Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. Proverbs 21:13

When the tragedies of life descend—disease, famine or conflict, they always land hardest on those least equipped to deal with them. While the rich can get medical help, have reserves of food or seek shelter behind security systems and gates, the poor simply suffer.

If you or I haven’t had to go without food or known what it is to have to choose between food and an education for your children, it can be hard to empathize with those living in poverty. Yet, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, poverty should concern us. Scripture teaches over and over that God wants His children to worship Him by being involved in helping those who are suffering. (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5, 19:17, 21:13, 29:7)

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,” God says in Isaiah, “then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”(Is. 58:6-10)

Here are two questions to ask ourselves: Am I involved in the struggle of the poor? Do I have friendships with those who are in need? We can best meet the needs of people that we actually know and do life with. We also need a support system of people that we can serve with, people who will encourage us to move out of our comfort into obedience to Christ. You can engage with a needy world.

Resource reading: Isaiah 58:6-10