Who Christ Calls You to BeExemplo

Day 2: Christ Calls You to Be a Champion of the Poor and Needy

Key Verses

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. . . . Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” (Matt. 25:34–36,40)

Why doesn’t God do something to help people who are poor, needy, or suffering?

That question (or some variation of it) lies at the heart of countless struggles and doubts concerning the Christian faith. You can find any number of theological explanations about the nature of suffering. But there’s a more immediate answer that shouldn’t be overlooked.

In fact, God has done something about it. He has entrusted the sacred task of caring for the poor and needy to Jesus’ followers. He has given us the responsibility to make a difference in the lives of people who need it most.

The job is not a popular one. There’s little prestige in it—at least as prestige is measured in earthly terms. Caring for the poor and needy aligns with the theme of “downward mobility” that runs throughout Christ’s teachings: “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matt. 20:16). “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11).

Jesus doesn’t give His followers the option of treating those who are poor and needy as an annoyance or writing them off as a blight on society or arguing that they deserve their fate. Instead, He asks us to do something extraordinarily difficult. He asks us to see Him when we look at them.

Embracing that concept requires us to rethink not only our prejudices but also the lens through which we look at other people. The homeless man with the scraggly beard and overpowering stench whose story is written in faded marker on the cardboard sign he holds every day? That’s Jesus. The office cleaning lady who speaks no English and seems terribly sad lately? She’s Jesus. The coworker whose social awkwardness is almost painful to watch? Jesus too.

The question is, what will we do for Him?

We may be tempted to think of Jesus’ challenge as a burden. In reality, it’s a rare opportunity. Every day we have the chance to do something meaningful for Jesus Himself, the Savior of the world. We can help Him by caring for the people He most closely identifies with.

To get a better sense of Jesus’ deep and abiding concern for the poor, needy, and disadvantaged, click on this link: https://bibl.es/PoorInSpirit.