SERVE THE POOR FIRST

"If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship." (Proverbs 14:31)

When Christians and other people of  God fast and pray, they ask for two main things in priority - success and prosperity. These prayer intentions are legitimate because the plans which God have for us are plans to bring us properity and not disaster. (Jeremiah 29:11). And it is by the accomplishment of God's plan of prosperity for us that we are fully fulfilled as human beings on  earth. 

CONFLICT OF GOALS 

"You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" . (Matthew 6:24)

But what is worrying is that material wealth is also a deadly trap to the people of God, in the fulfillment of their vocation to become citizens of heaven. This is where wealth and salvation come in opposition - and the quest for one seems to forfeit the realization of the other. So it is written: "It is much harder for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle" (Matthew 19:24) 

Therefore, in this Lentern season, Catholic Front takes you to see how material wealth may hinder your salvation;  so that you may cultivate the proper attitude that would turn your wealth into heavenly assets. (Matthew 6:19-20). And this will profit you for more blessings on eath and eternal life in heaven. So, if you are a millionaire, reading this post, do not be offended; but rather, be grateful and follow me faithfully. "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8 :32)

NEGLECT OF THE POOR 

"There will always be some Israelites who are poor and in need, and so I command you to be generous to them." (Deuteronomy 15:11). 

If God said that there will always be poor people, it was not because he cannot make everybody rich in the world - for there is nothing that God can not do (Luke 1:37). Moreover, some are poor not because God has cursed them. Rather they have been blessed with eternal riches in faith in order that they may possess the kingdom of God (James 2:5). And as it is said that "no condition is permanent" so, too, some of the poor poor today will become rich tomorrow, while some of the rich today will be made poor tomorrow - depending on how they appropriate their spiritual or material riches. 

God, therefore, has placed the poor as stumbling stones on the path of the rich to eternal life. Yes, they are stumbling stones to the rich who are selfish and arrogant, but to those rich people who are generous and humble the poor are their stepping stones to the kingdom of God. If not, how would God select from among the rich those who truly love him? "You fed me when I was hungry, you clothed me when I was naked,.." as it will happen at the final judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). 

Therefore, as God has commanded the rich have a religious duty to provide for the needs of the poor - and this, without asking why they are poor or despising them because they are poor. The logic is that your charity is done actually to God and not to the person who receives it. 

FALSE CHARITY 

"When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back."  (Proverbs 19:17)

Many rich people would not give to someone in need, without the needy person giving something to them in return. For example, for some of the rich: to give to orphans they would require them to work for them as domestic servants, to give to poor widows and girls, they would require to give them sex in return, to give to poor men they would require them to give them unconditional moral support in what ever they do or say. And above all, many rich want to be worshipped by those who earn their favors. 

In reality this type of giving is not charity but buying and selling. For as it is written, charity is done to the beneficiary in return for nothing  - it is like lending to God who will pay you back (Proverbs 19:17). So when people claim that they are helping someone while they are actually exploiting them physically, morally and even sexually, this is not only hypocrisy but an abuse of the poor. 

This is the strategy of the world, which is used to exploit and to ruin the poor. But Christians should not do this, because the LORD says, that believers should not do the same as unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). 

SERVE THE POOR FIRST 

CONTEMPT FOR THE POOR 

"What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world." (James 1:27)

Many rich people do not only show indifference towards the poor, they also condemn and despise the latter  for being poor. Some believe that others are poor because they are lazy or sinful. But they do forget that there are many very hard working people who are also very poor. That is why Jesus rebuked the Pharasees on account of the man born blind, as he told them that his blindness was not caused by his sins or that of his parents, but was made so that God's power may be seen working in him (John 9:2-3). 

This contempt for the poor is seen not only in public places like offices, hospitals, restaurants, snacks and other businesses but also in the Church - which is the house of God. The poor are kept waiting to be served while the rich who  come in,  after them, are served in priority. This attitude is not only unreligious but also inhuman. The poor deserve to served first because they are  very vulnerable and so their needs require urgent attention. 

OPPRESSION OF WORKERS 

"If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship." (Proverbs 14:31)

Usually, when there is shortage of food in our households, we prefer to feed our children and go hungry. But when there is shortage of revenue in a business the bosses prefer to feed themselves and leave their workers hungry. How can the workers have the strength to work if they have no food to eat? Just as children depend on parents for their livelihood so do workers depend on their employers for their needs - that is why they honor them and obey their orders. 

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Even where there is revenue, often, some employers do not pay their workers until the latter begin to complain. Also there are so many employers who now take advantage of increasing unemployment to pay miserable wages to workers, even though their businesses are very profitable. Worst of all, some of the employers use the system of  work probations and internships to make poor jobseekers work for them without pay. How can you value your wealth so much, but refuse to value those with whom you work for it? 

Remember that when you fail to pay a rich person you may deprive him of a luxury, savings or investment. But when you fail to pay a poor person you deprive him of the right to live. This is because the wages of the poor go for nothing but to pay for the basic needs of life - food, medication, clothing, housing etc. 

FALSE THANKSGIVINGS 

"Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors - for they will invite you back, and in this way you will be paid for what you did. When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.” (Luke 14:12-14)

Many rich men and women often organize lavish parties and  feasting bonanzas for the purpose of giving thanks  to God. But what is odd at these feasts and parties is that the hosts sit the rich on the high tables to eat choiced foods while the poor (if invited) and the gate crashers, sit on the empty beer crates and half walls to eat the leftovers - after the rich have been served.  (James 2:3-7) 

Truly, truly is this how rich people should thank God for blessing them? If the party is organized truly to give thanks to God, the poor should be the ones to sit on the high tables. This is what the scripture says (Luke 14:13), and it is just because the rich who sit on high tables everyday to eat and drink of choice foods are wine should permit the poor to have the same pleasure once in a while. 

TEST OF LOVE

"If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action." (1 John 3:17-18)

Indeed, a rich person in the midst of the poor is a miserable one because nobody can have fun alone - except those who rejoice in the suffering of others. But this is unnatural, for how can a human being be happy when people around them are unhappy? 

Jesus Christ said that the best way to show love for someone is to die for them (John 15:13). Then he gave us the example by dying for us, sinners, on his Cross (John 19:30). You, who are rich, can do the same by forgoing your comfort to provide for the basic needs of the poor. 

The Bible says that there is nothing that will profit someone if they gain the world and lose the kingdom of God (Matthew 16:26). So you may even be a Christian, and spending a lot of money to build the material church, but if you underlook the real temples of God - human beings -  you may end up regretting that you spent your money just for nothing. 

MATERIAL REWARDS 

"And God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity." (2 Corinthians 9:10) 

The scripture, here, is very clear: that giving to the needy is sowing to harvest more in the future. And as it goes, the more you sow, the more you harvest - if really you sow with love and compassion and not with pride and contempt for the poor. 

So If God has given you wealth as your talent do well to multiply it - by sharing with the poor -  so that you may receive more, with happiness added to it. (Matthew 25:20-21). You will agree with me that there are a lot of people who have no happiness, at all, although they are very wealthy. 

ETERNAL REWARDS 

"God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.” (Luke 14:-14)

As already mentioned, the poor are like stepping stones to the generous rich on their way to eternal life. So by honoring the poor and giving them first and foremost attention in the satisfaction of their needs, the rich may easily navigate the narrow gate into heaven. (Matthew 7:14). 

If you are rich, It is wise to act now, and not wait to regret when you are already in hell - as was the rich man who despised and ignored Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).For there may be no redemption for you then (Luke 16:24-26). And if you are poor now, save this post well - and do not forget to re-read and practice it, when your turn comes to be rich in the world. Do not undermine the scriptures, for the Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), and God does not fail to do what he says he will do (Isaiah 55:11).

May your reading and application of this post profit you to grow both in wealth and holiness as you begin and continue to use your wealth to serve God - the only Master - in the poor whom you meet everyday; Amen. 

Author: Aying Godman, is a Catechist, Evangelist & Blogger of the Roman Church; Founder of CATHOLIC FRONT & the CATHOLIC FRONT LINE COMMUNITY™ Email: ayinggodman@gmail.com 

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