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God's Concern for Those in Need

Leviticus 19:9,10

A survey of the Bible reveals many scriptures that speak of believers' obligations toward the needy, including homeless people, widows, orphans, the sick, the underfed, and the illiterate. The Torah in the OT, for example, has passages such as this: "You shall not wholly reap the corners of your field . . . you shall leave them for the poor" (19:9, 10). The Book of Proverbs is packed with humanitarian verses, such as this: "He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy" (Prov. 14:31). The prophets railed against oppressing the poor: "Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow" (Isa. 1:17).

The ministry of the Lord Jesus overflowed with acts of kindness to the sick, the grief-stricken, children, the hungry, and even the dead. He often met physical needs before speaking to people about their spiritual needs—but He neglected neither. In one of His strongest statements on this, Jesus said that those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, and take in strangers are doing it to Him (Matt. 25:34–45). The epistles echo the same emphasis. James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble." John adds, " But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17).

The history of Christianity reflects this balance. The great humanitarian movements that have changed history often were church-related programs for helping the needy—building schools and orphanages, abolishing slavery, reforming prisons, and defending the oppressed—or were started by individual Christians who shared God's passion for helping the poor.

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