MAY 11, 2012
A Sense Of Concern
Read: Galatians 2:1-10
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has
mercy on the needy. —Proverbs 14:31
Statistics are tricky. While numbers give us information, sometimes
they can also desensitize us to the people those numbers represent.
This hit me recently as I read a statistic: Every year 15 million people
die from hunger. That’s chilling, and for those of us who live in cultures
of plenty, it’s hard to fathom. In 2008, nearly 9 million children died
before their fifth birthday, with a third of those deaths related to
hunger. These are staggering numbers, but they are much more
than numbers. They are individuals loved by God.
We can show the Father’s heart of love by responding to people’s
physical needs. Solomon wrote, “He who oppresses the poor
reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the
needy” (Prov. 14:31). We can show mercy to the needy by
volunteering at a soup kitchen, assisting in a job search, financially
supporting the drilling of wells in places in need of fresh water,
distributing food in poverty-stricken regions, teaching a trade, or
providing lunches for school children.
Accepting this responsibility honors the Father and His concern for
all. And those who are starving might be better able to hear the
message of the cross if their stomachs aren’t growling.
If God ordained to give
One gift for all my days,
I’d want the way He loves
To permeate my ways. —Verway
The more we understand God’s love for us the more love
we’ll show to others.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2012
