Eyes to SeeSample

Looking at all the hard things going on in the world, it’s easy to ask, “Where is God? How can a good God allow so much suffering?” If we look at the Bible, it assures us that God is good. Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” Both before and after the fall, God cared for creation. God still provides, even in a world with over eight billion people. He still makes “grass grow for the cattle and plants for people to cultivate” (Psalm 104:14).

But if God is such a good provider and really is so generous, what explanation do we have for the problems in this world? Why are so many living in poverty? Has God failed? Has He forgotten the people He created? The answer is a resounding no. You see, God’s character has not changed. Even though the world is not as it should be through sin, God has not left the world alone but is actively restoring what is broken through people like you and me.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). God gives us good things for our enjoyment. It’s not wrong to enjoy God’s provision. In the very next sentence, Paul writes, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Timothy 6:18).

If we look at how frequently God’s Word references the vulnerable, we will see God’s heart for them. In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to leave grapes and grain in their fields so that the poor and foreigners could glean from them (Leviticus 19:10; 23:22). He commanded the Israelites not to be “hardhearted or tight-fisted” toward the poor among them (Deuteronomy 15:7). He told them to seek their good and not take advantage of them (Exodus 22:21-22).

God’s generosity is the foundation of our own. Though we may not have vineyards and fields, God has still abundantly blessed us. Materially, we might have much or little, but when we trust in Jesus, we are rich beyond measure. Consider how the early church saw one another’s needs and shared all they had. If we chose to live as someone who loves what God loves—mercy and justice—how would it change our lives? After all, the opportunities to show compassion to those in need are all around us. We only need eyes to see.

Reflect:

• What are some modern equivalents to allowing those living in poverty to clean the last grapes from a vineyard or the extra grain from a field?

Pray:

Father, Your Word tells us You are a father to the fatherless and a defender to widows. You are a friend to the poor and oppressed. You see and grieve for people in slavery of all sorts around the world, and You invite us to be like You in both our hearts for the poor and our actions. Help us to see Your priorities. Give us Your vision. Amen.