Sunday
May162004
Churches don't care about the poor
Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 8:11AM
A provocative post by Scott - read at your own risk.
Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 8:11AM
Reader Comments (11)
I'm all for helping the poor but it's not the primary mission of the church. We fail when we reduce our mission to social causes. In the context of eternity, not having things doesn't make one poor - everyone is poor if they don't have Jesus. Mark 14 7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. Jacob.
There are extremes on both ends. Focusing only on the body or only on the soul are both perversions of the Gospel.
I think we ought to focus "on the body" in order to get to their souls.
I used to think that, but I'm not sure I do anymore. I think we should care for people's physical needs and spiritual needs at the same time, but people can tell if you're meeting physical needs with an agenda. I think we should serve the poor because God calls us to share food with the hungry and provide shelter for the homeless (Isaiah 58). This isn't to minimize spiritual needs, which we should also meet. It's easy to do one or the other, but doing both sure is a challenge.
Actually, I am outraged that anyone would even suggest meeting the needs of the poor. Isn't that the mandate of the government and food banks? What do you expect from me anyway? Compassion? Love? Mercy? Kindness? Gentleness? Next thing you'll be wanting is for me to visit the sick and/or elderly, or care about the father-less kids! Who knows were that will lead? I might even have to get out of my comfortable pew and DO something!
Don't forget though, Arthur, you apparently don't have a "comfortable pew" so your sarcasm is blunted.
You weren't supposed to notice, Trish!!!!
But what did Jesus mean when he said something like "the poor you'll always have with you but you won't always have me" in order to justify the woman's shopping to buy the oil for him?
"Time for such expression of devotion and love while he was still here was running out. In contrast, opportunities for helping the poor would continue. There is no evidence in Jesusà statement of a lack of concern for the poor. On the contrary, there is ample evidence elsewhere that their interests and needs lay close to his heart (cf. Matt 5:3; 6:2-4; 19:21; Luke 6:20, 36-38; 21:1-4; John 13:29)." (Expositors Bible Commentary on Mark 14:7)
Thanks Darryl. Maybe then the point is that worshipping Jesus is the first priority and caring for poor people comes second. Or was it just a unique like unrepeatable thing said when Jesus lived on the earth that shouldn't really put caring for the poor second place?
I think your second interpretation is right, Kim. Now, I completely agree with Scott, but I too find this difficult to do in my life. This is an area of growth for me.