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Resource - Meditations
November 1999
Trowel – Building
What About The
Poor?
Rev. John Terhorst
The comment really struck me. Initially I thought it was spoken with
malice, or even contempt. But it was not. It was a genuine question. A
question worthy of asking again. But, as usual, I am running ahead of
myself. Let me explain the setting before I ask you the question.
Corrie and I were in Alice Springs, as part of a 17,000 kilometre
journey taking us around the eastern half of Australia. We were enjoying
the privilege of three months long service leave. At the caravan park,
the owners provided the campers with free pancakes for breakfast. It was
a Sunday morning. A pleasing breakfast before heading off to a local
church. A worship service in which we, along with a good number of
Aborigines, sang God’s praises, and listened to the preaching of His
Holy Word. It was rewarding to be together with aboriginal Christians.
It balanced out the stereo type image many Australians carry with them.
Anyway, back to breakfast at the caravan park. Pancakes cooked on a hot
plate the size of a six foot by four foot trailer. Tea and coffee
provided. And all manner of pancake toppings. I personally cannot resist
the ‘maple syrup’. We were sitting with a group of fellow campers,
enjoying the warm Alice Springs morning. As we finished our first round
of pancakes, out came that question,
“I wonder what the poor people are doing today?”
The question left me speechless. Yes, a minister left speechless, quite
something don’t you think? “I wonder what the poor people are doing
today?” The question was not asked with a view to a response. It was
almost a rhetorical question. We all knew what they were doing today.
Many of the poor were going without sufficient food. As a result they
would die of malnutrition. Many of the poor are refugees. They have fled
the killing and insecurity of their homeland. Many of the poor die
needlessly because they lack what we take for granted, clean water and
sanitation. Many amongst the poor are going blind unnecessarily. Many
amongst the poor have no parents, or have buried their young children.
Many amongst poor cannot choose their wardrobe, what they have on is all
they have.
“I wonder what the poor people are doing today?”
And we were enjoying a free breakfast, on a holiday lasting fourteen
weeks. What a tremendous blessing. We were enjoying a leisurely Sunday
morning, more than enough food, clothes, health, freedom and security.
We indeed are richly blessed people.
How should God’s people respond to the poor? Should we feel guilty about
the blessings we enjoy? Perhaps we should. Ought we to sell all that we
have and give to the poor? That may well be necessary for some. Although
I don’t believe either of those two responses is appropriate for
everyone. Yet, each and everyone of us ought to see Jesus Christ
amongst, or even in, the poor. The words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46
come to mind. The pinnacle sentence being, “I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did
for me (Jesus!).”
How should God’s people respond to the poor? There is no quick fix.
There is no one, single, simple answer. God’s people respond as God’s
grace provides. For some that may mean selling in order to give. Let’s
be honest, many of us have much more than we need. For some that may
mean lobbying parliament to increase aid. For some it may mean getting
involved with a local T.E.A.R. group, for example. There are many such
aid agencies. The possibilities are numerous.
One thing we all can do is encourage the deacons in our churches.
Encourage them to look for ways of improving the lot of the poor.
Promise to pray for them faithfully. Offer to help them in their work.
Ask them how you, or even the church, can ‘adopt a child’. Or maybe more
than one! And if the work becomes a burden, elect more deacons, or
establish a deaconal committee.
“I wonder what the poor people are doing today?”
The answer to that question may well depend on another. What are we
doing today to meet the needs of the poor?
A Prayer:
Father, thank you for what I have. And when we see you hungry and
thirsty, may we be willing to meet your needs. Amen.
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