"Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble."
(Psalm 41:1)
Paul wrote to Christians in Rome, " Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.." The feeling of superiority breeds contempt for those deemed to be less fortunate, who have less influence, or who are viewed as less significant in a society that often devalues the ones Jesus spoke of as "the least of these." Paul's call to humility echoes the Psalmist's joy known by those who intentionally express kindness toward the poor. To look at others in love is to look beyond any outward criteria that might influence the way one treats another person.
The last verse of Brian Jeffrey Leach's powerful hymn text, "Let Your Heart Be Broken," speaks of the joy of kindness to the poor as he writes, "Let your heart be tender and your vision clear;
See mankind as God sees, serve Him far and near. Let your heart be broken by a brother's pain; Share your rich resources, give and give again." Perhaps that is the key for those who are kind to the poor...joy is found as they give and give again."
See mankind as God sees, serve Him far and near. Let your heart be broken by a brother's pain; Share your rich resources, give and give again." Perhaps that is the key for those who are kind to the poor...joy is found as they give and give again."
Jim Abernathy
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