Weekly, I am privileged to attend a ladies' Bible study with national Believers. It is often a stretch with my language ability, but I am learning so much from these women. This week we went to a village to visit some family members of our church's pastor. It was a humbling experience. I truly believe that the Father will judge us by how we treat the poor of the earth. God has given us so many instructions in scripture regarding our responsibility, but He has also made it really clear that it is the poor that understand who He is and will receive their reward in Heaven. This being true, I have to ask myself two important questions: Am I poor?
and How am I actively serving the poor around me? The answer to the first question from a monetary standpoint is, no. By some western standards, perhaps, yes, but really the answer is no. We have so much compared to others that I am often embarrassed at times. However, let's look at the question from a heart point of view. Am I poor? Poor is defined as:
lacking in specific resources, qualities or substances; inadequate; not sufficient to meet a need. Wow, I would say that is an accurate picture of my heart and life without Christ. In that case yes...yes I am very poor. I think that in the
Sermon on the Mount when Christ said,
"Blessed are the poor" one of His main points was that if a person thinks he has everything he will not see his true inadequacies and need for a Savior. The second question: How am I actively serving the poor around me? That is a very interesting question. I guess we each have to evaluate our own hearts on that. One might look at the ladies that I fellowship with as having very little. By most standards of the world, that might be a correct assessment. However, these ladies still manage to give of themselves and their resources to the surrounding villages and city homeless. Through the years, Matt & I have watched many church plants try to make a go of it in the US. I think one key mark of the churches that are successful is that they have a plan for serving the poor and reaching beyond themselves. It is our opinion that one of the reasons "inner-city churches" have such a hard time succeeding is because their focus is inward. Yes, we all have needs and struggles...refer back to question #1! However, when we start "looking to the interests of ourselves and not to the interests of others", I think we are no longer useful to the Kingdom and will not be successful in our ventures. I just heard that 6,000 children in the Dallas area registered "as needy" this Holiday Season are still without a gift for Christmas. I am not pointing any fingers at my fellow Texans or even debating the question of true "neediness", but wow, this is a shame and a reminder to us all to again search our hearts and ask ourselves if we were to stand before the Father today would He say that we have been faithful to serve the poor?
"He who oppresses the poor taunts His maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him." Pro. 14:31 I have attached a link to Chris Tomlin's song,
"O Holy Night" I am moved by the line that says, "His power and glory let the poor proclaim." May I be found among those proclaiming His power and glory! AT
Weekly, I am privileged to attend a ladies' Bible study with national Believers. It is often a stretch with my language ability, but I am learning so much from these women. This week we went to a village to visit some family members of our church's pastor. It was a humbling experience. I truly believe that the Father will judge us by how we treat the poor of the earth. God has given us so many instructions in scripture regarding our responsibility, but He has also made it really clear that it is the poor that understand who He is and will receive their reward in Heaven. This being true, I have to ask myself two important questions: Am I poor? 
and How am I actively serving the poor around me? The answer to the first question from a monetary standpoint is, no. By some western standards, perhaps, yes, but really the answer is no. We have so much compared to others that I am often embarrassed at times. However, let's look at the question from a heart point of view. Am I poor? Poor is defined as: lacking in specific resources, qualities or substances; inadequate; not sufficient to meet a need. Wow, I would say that is an accurate picture of my heart and life without Christ. In that case yes...yes I am very poor. I think that in the Sermon on the Mount when Christ said, "Blessed are the poor" one of His main points was that if a person thinks he has everything he will not see his true inadequacies and need for a Savior. The second question: How am I actively serving the poor around me? That is a very interesting question. I guess we each have to evaluate our own hearts on that. One might look at the ladies that I fellowship with as having very little. By most standards of the world, that might be a correct assessment. However, these ladies still manage to give of themselves and their resources to the surrounding villages and city homeless. Through the years, Matt & I have watched many church plants try to make a go of it in the US. I think one key mark of the churches that are successful is that they have a plan for serving the poor and reaching beyond themselves. It is our opinion that one of the reasons "inner-city churches" have such a hard time succeeding is because their focus is inward. Yes, we all have needs and struggles...refer back to question #1! However, when we start "looking to the interests of ourselves and not to the interests of others", I think we are no longer useful to the Kingdom and will not be successful in our ventures. I just heard that 6,000 children in the Dallas area registered "as needy" this Holiday Season are still without a gift for Christmas. I am not pointing any fingers at my fellow Texans or even debating the question of true "neediness", but wow, this is a shame and a reminder to us all to again search our hearts and ask ourselves if we were to stand before the Father today would He say that we have been faithful to serve the poor? "He who oppresses the poor taunts His maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him." Pro. 14:31 I have attached a link to Chris Tomlin's song, "O Holy Night" I am moved by the line that says, "His power and glory let the poor proclaim." May I be found among those proclaiming His power and glory! AT
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