This is a guest post by Linda Ricke.
We know that of those who are given more, more is expected. I usually find myself in those who have been given more. I am an American. I grew up with loving parents. I was raised in a family where education was important. I was able to graduate college with minimal debt. I’ve been married to my best friend for 32 years. We raised three children who are responsible, loving, and decent college graduates. And we have a healthy, happy six-month-old grandson.
God must expect a lot from us. There’s no denying that we have been blessed. It doesn’t seem fair when I know others who seem to struggle their whole lives with financial, health, and personal problems.
2 Corinthians 8:15 states, “he who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no lack.” This verse is a challenge. We give generously to our church and volunteer in our community, and we share our blessings with others, but still we are blessed. Still we are fortunate, and still we have excess.
We need the poor. We need the poor because they are Christ. And no matter how blessed we may be, we need Jesus.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
I have heard these thoughts prior, and originally I never understood the why behind needing the poor. I used to think that providing comfort to those in need not only provided relief to those needing it most, but also somehow provided a spiritual awakening , life changing, warm fuzzy feel good to the givers.
Over time as I have developed a better sense on what social justice, I have come to understand this feeling of “boy, am I a real good person for doing all these wonderful things” is fairly self-centered, although the results of these actions are good. I have come to realize that the poor may actually lead us to Christ. Mathew in chapter 25 writes… ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
The poor may show all of us, regardless of our economic status, that we can be hopelessly sucked in by materialism and that our possessions may eventually possess us and grow to rule our lives. While working hard and earning the opportunity to obtain fine goods, we can get through life without the greatest and the latest.
Many thanks for this reminder.
Thank you. I am humbled by your response. I, too, have struggled with this issue. I needed the reminder also.
It has been said many times that we need the poor more than the poor need us – and I believe that. We need to be converted.
And of course, we must remember and always know- we are the poor, too.
In Christ – we are one.
My husband said the very same thing when he first read this post. “We are the poor, too.” I agree with you. I find that in giving I always receive much more than those to whom I give.
I consider poor a relative term. I was raised “poor” we were a large family, my parents divorced and my mother waitressed to provide so we had very little. But my mother made sure we had a house (not an apt but a house with a yard) and that we had dignity and standards. I consider people who lack the latter two, poor. There were many times we were hungry, or had no heat in the winter but it was the times that we didn’t laugh that I remember being deprived. So, poor is relative in that sense. When I take part in feeding the hungry, housing the homeless or educating the uneducated it is because it is my responsibility to my brother. It is a blessing just as you said. The cycle of blessings a a beautiful thing…I can’t do a lot..as I am still not rich…but there are many ways to make a difference and to tend the bleeding body of Christ. Thanks for this post, it gives perspective on a luxuriously sunny day.
I can tell that you make a difference by your outlook on life. Anyone who can count his/her blessings is already blessed by the realization and acknowledgement of being blessed.
There are many ways of being poor – some of those with great material wealth are poorer than those with very little in the way of material possessions. I was privileged to spend last weekend on a retreat with women involved in the criminal justice system and many would consider them the outcasts of our society; however, I was blessed to be with them and witness their deep faith in our Lord as we ministered to each other. God’s ways are not our ways.
We all know people who are rich materially but do not know Christ. They are the poorer because of it. Thank you for the work you do.
Love it, as always, Lynda.
It can be hard to recognize our real wealth and our true poverty when we are drowning in stuff. Mike Hayes has a thought provoking post about what the poor can teach the comfortable at his blog today, too. (thanks, Fran!) (http://googlinggod.com/2012/07/12/spiritual-pigeonholing/)
It is a good post. Thanks for sharing it! And good luck on your lecture.
Thanks Michelle!
And if anyone in the PFO community is willing to raise a prayer on my behalf, I’d appreciate it. I’m giving a public lecture on science and religion in Philadelphia tonight, and am suddenly nervous!
May the Spirit guide you to a place of calm as you speak tonight, Michelle.
You are in my prayers. The Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and courage.
Understandably Michelle! Prayers coming your way!! Let us know how it goes!
Praying for you Michelle. Bizarrely the second time this week I’ve been praying for a public speaker. God bless
Blessings and peace, Michelle.
May you know and trust you will be graced with what you need.
Blessings also upon those attending the public lecture.
May the Spirit enlighten, guide, and strengthen you this evening Michelle, as well prepare those in attendance to be open to your message. Go get ‘em…
Dear all, my heartfelt thanks for prayers and encouragement! Talk is ready, I’m breathing out nervousness and in grace and calm. I’m taking Ignatius (in the form of Margaret Silf’s conversations with him) along for the train ride, maybe Lopez will be in the audience to hear me talk about his Exercises and electrons in the same sentence?
We should be grateful for what we have or have not regardless. Great post, very inspiring.
There is always something for which to be grateful. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Beautiful conversation today. Courage and Peace, Michelle!
What insight! Such wonderful information to reflect and ponder. I love this input and reflection!
Thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers!!! All went well, and once I got past the nerves, it was an amazing experience to talk about the Higgs boson, the Examen, supercomputers and Thomas Aquinas all together.
Glad it went well Michelle.
So glad it went well but then, I have to admit that I’m not surprised! It must have been an incredible experience.
That sounds so so interesting! Good for you, I hope you felt the Spirit carrrying you!
Yes, I agree that the poor are there for a reason although I can’t begin to understand what is behind God’s plan, where he decides some of us have more than others. All will be revealed no doubt. I do have trouble with it though. Itz makes me feel terrible that I have been given so much and yet I never feel ( in fact I know) that I am giving enough back either materially or in other ways. What did God give me all this for exactly??
I ask myself that question every day. Some days I’m certain that , in spite of all I have, that I don’t have enough – enough faith, enough talent, enough compassion. It reminds me of the poem that begins “I asked God for faith…” Some of what I have blessed with I don’t know what to do with; I certainly fail to appreciate it. It certainly is beyond my understanding why God distributes blessings in such unequal amounts. I just try to have faith that He knows what He’s doing.