Works of Faith towards the Poor

'For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also'.

                                                 James 2 v 26.

'An epistle of straw' was Martin Luther's uncomplimentary critique of the Book of James, seriously questioning whether it should be in the Bible. He wrongly saw in it a 'gospel of salvation by works' that appeared to contradict the 'salvation by faith alone' text of Romans1 v 16-17 that inspired the Reformation.
    In reality Biblical truth is held in paradoxical tension. Personal salvation is 'by faith alone', but 'works of faith' authenticate our life changing encounter with Christ. Jesus said as much in his teaching:
' Let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven'
                                                   Matt 5 v 16.

     In this short paper, I want to give some of the key Biblical passages that have shaped my thinking and practice in serving the poor. It is far from comprehensive, and I am the first to acknowledge that I have so much more to learn and practice in my own life. I am keeping it to the main passages that are important to me, and have refrained from illustrating what I say with any personal examples or stories. I want to let the scriptures do the talking without the need on my part to over elaborate.
     I have found very inspirational a paper written by Ray Mayhew entitled 'Embezzlement: The Corporate Sin of the Western Church'. I have also found the teaching of Arthur Wallis invaluable on this subject.
      In Proverbs 19 v17 we read: 'He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given' To the pious God fearing Jew, giving to the poor was synonymous with living a righteous life. For example, when Job defends his innocence and righteousness, one of his primary appeals is to the way he had treated with honour the poor:

      'Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper..... ' I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame, I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I dud not know'

                                      Job 29 v 12, 15-17.

     All of us at sometime have either lent out or borrowed something from a friend that is still out on 'long term loan'. Others have lent time, money, and gifting to people and organisations and have received no reward or recognition for their efforts.
    What is striking about Proverbs 19 v 17 is that those who have given to the poor as an outworking of their faith in Christ, will be rewarded in full by God himself. We may never receive back things we have lent out to people in this world, but God will repay us in full for everything we have lent out to the poor on His behalf.
    In Matthew 25 v 31-46, in the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus gives clear teaching when this repayment is made. There are six categories of the poor and disadvantaged that the saints are 'repaid' in full for serving. These are:

- The hungry
- The thirsty
- The stranger
- The naked
- The sick
- The imprisoned
 
       Interestingly, in commending the acts of the righteous towards these six groupings of people, Jesus uses the phrase:
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to me'
                                             Matt 25 v 40.

     Some commentators have pointed out that the poor and destitute in this parable are the disadvantaged and persecuted parts of the global church. The emphasis on 'what you did for the least of these My brothers', clearly implies that it was those in a personal relationship with Christ who were the ones being served as well as the ones doing the serving. We are only Jesus' brothers if we are in personal relationship with Him (Hebrews 2 v 10-14).
    One of the yardsticks that the Lord will use to test and reward our faith will be based on how well we have treated the poor and persecuted parts of the church family (Galatians 6 v 10, Hebrews 13 v 3, I John 3 v 17). However we also have a mandate to serve the poor irrespective of whether they are part of the church or not. The Gospel is 'good news to the poor', and caring for the poor was seen as axiomatic for the early church (Gal 2 v 10).
    Our vision in serving the poor is to see them established as 'trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61 v 3). In Psalm 113 v 7 we read of the Lord that:

'He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, That He may seat them with princes- With the princes of His people.'

   Providing basic humanitarian care and practical love towards the poor is an important but incomplete ministry. What distinguishes the church's mandate from mere humanitarian aid, is that the poor we are caring for 'might see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven'. 'Glorifying your Father in heaven' implies a person or community of people have had an encounter with the Lord for that to be an experiential reality. The language is rich in personal /corporate adoration and intimacy with God. It is as if the poor and disadvantaged have so seen and been impacted by the grace of God in our lives towards them, that they themselves have now become a part of God's family. By the rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit they have now been fully 'taken from the ash heap, and seated with the princes of His people.'
   All authentic works of God amongst the poor will produce 'trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified'. Healed lepers, prostitutes, blind Bartimaeus, the woman with the flow of blood, Zacchaeus the tax collector, the Gadarene demoniac, Mary Magdalene, and the thief on the Cross, are all examples of the poor and outcast being taken by Jesus from the ash heap and being seated at the table of princes. If Jesus is our plumbline, then serving the poor is more than humanitarian alleviation of poverty, important though that is. As the 'friend of sinners', Jesus transformed every life he touched, whether that person was a known name or not. They became prophetic signs that the Kingdom of God had come, and were the 'trees of righteousness displaying the glory of God'.
     It is interesting to read Ezekiel's account of what lay behind the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. We tend to associate sexual perversion as the sin of these two towns, and although that was the ultimate depravity that they fell into, the rot had set in earlier when they chose to shut their ears to cry of the poor. In Ezekiel 16 v 49 we read:

' Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom; She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.'

    When we close our ears to the poor, the Lord closes his ears to our prayers (Proverbs 21 v 13). When that happens corporately, society declines into the moral corruption that was not only characteristic of Sodom and Gomorrah's final days, but of all civilisations that have closed their ears to the cry of the poor. Giving to the poor seems to be one of the safety mechanisms that the Lord has given to help prevent societies from becoming consumed and ultimately destroyed through insatiable greed and idolatry.
    In conclusion, we care for the poor practically, prayerfully, and prophetically. Jesus is our plumbline, and our vision is to see the poor and needy transformed into 'trees of righteousness, displaying the Lord's glory'. Alleviating humanitarian disaster and disease is important, but we also want people to 'see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven'. Praising our Father in heaven would suggest that people have not only had their practical needs met, but have come into an understanding and intimate relationship with God themselves. We love the poor whether they love God or not, but an authentic work of God will at least be seeing some who have been ' taken from the ash heap and seated with princes'.
   To finish with, I have listed some of the questions that I personally ask when testing the quality of any work amongst the poor. These are:

-Whose name and honour is clearly being seen and heard? Is it Jesus' over and above anyone else? Or is His name relegated to the small print and either the name of a person or of the organisation gets the headline?

- Whose spirit and strength is this being done in? It is amazing what men and women can do without God. Only the strength and resources of the Holy Spirit bring about the permanent change that has the essential and eternal perspective in place. Could what we are doing be done just as well by a group of well meaning atheists or humanists?

- What transformation and change has taken place?  Humanitarian aid is important. Jesus fed the hungry with bread and fish. However, he also challenged and invited that same crowd to be transformed spiritually by feeding from him as the bread of life. It isn't enough to focus solely on alleviating physical needs, important though that is in demonstrating the love of God. We want to see total transformation of people's lives, city and nations filled with 'trees of righteousness, displaying the Lord's glory'.

Praying Mothers.

One of the foundational principles given to us in the Book of 1 Samuel in order to help us understand how the Kingdom of God works, is that of the importance a praying mother has in shaping the destiny of her child. The book opens with Hannah's prayer for a male child. The answer to that prayer is the birth of Samuel, and then through Samuel's ministry there begins a transition in  Israel from theocracy to monarchy.
      One of the mistakes we make is to judge on outward appearances rather than the heart. Who would have thought a praying mother would have given birth to the first kingmaker of Israel? Who would have thought that this little boy Samuel would go on to become a man who would bring the word of the Lord to all Israel?
    Praying mothers are of priceless value in the Lord's eyes. Hannah's prayer is very similar to that of Mary's in Luke 1 v 46-55. It was a praying mother behind the birth of Samuel, and a praying mother behind the birth and nurturing of Jesus. Paul will also commend Timothy's grandmother Lois, and mother Eunice,  for their spiritual nurturing of Timothy in his developmental years( 2 Tim 1 v 5).   
    It is recorded in both 1 Samuel 2 v 26, and in Luke 2 v 52 that both Samuel and Jesus 'grew in favour both with the Lord and men'. How much of that growing in grace was because of the godly praying of their respective mothers?     
     A brief look at their two great prayers recorded in 1 Samuel 2 v 1-10, and Luke 1v 46-55 will give all of us insights into the foundations of their prayer ministry, and especially provide an inspirational model for every praying mother in the church.

1. Both had joy in the place of prayer.

      1 Sam 2 v 1, Luke 1v 46-47.  

    All great moves of God are birthed in joyful prayer. One of the characteristics of the Kingdom is 'righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit'( Romans 14 v 17). These women were characterized by joy.

2. Both knew that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  

1 Sam 2 v 3, Luke 1 v 52.   

   Humility is one of the foundational keys to authentic spiritual sight. These women were sensitive to what attracted the Lord's presence, and to what would grieve Him. The Kingdom of God is released through men and women of humility, not through men like King Saul who have statues built to their own honour(1 Samuel 15 v 12).

3. Both knew that God wanted justice and vindication for the poor.

(1 Sam 2 v 8, Luke 1 v 53).

Proverbs 21 v 13 says this:

'Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, Will also cry himself and not be heard'.

   As we give to the poor our money, time, and lives, then we will find a greater openness from the Lord towards us in prayer.

4. Both knew that the source of their strength was the Lord.

(1 Sam 2 v 4, 10. Luke 1 v 51, 54).      

    The story of the Tower of Babel teaches us many things, one of which is how determined men can be to build very impressive empires and portfolios without any help from the Lord. David wrote in Psalm 20 that although 'some trust in chariots, and some in horses', he would trust in the name of his God.    
    Our strength is from the Lord, and often that will be in our weaknesses. When a mother is tired and exhausted at the business end of yet another long day mothering children, those prayers spoken over their children at night carry far greater weight and strength than we realise. In our tiredness and vulnerability, the Holy Spirit can help us in our weakness. How many men and women are where they are today because of the faithfulness of a praying mother?

5. Both kept the Lord's Name central in their prayers.

     There are 22 references in Hannah's prayer, and 17 in Mary's to the Lord in one way or another. We are the Lord's servant, he is not ours. We are blessed by the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom is not our servant. All honour and blessing belong to Him, and in our praying the Lord is the centre of gravity, not us.

6. Both knew that prophetic prayer was as much about moral formation as it was about discerning the future.   

   Both their prayers could be summarized with the words of Amos 5 v 24:

'But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream'.

    Prophetic ministry and prayer are built on the foundation of moral and ethical leadership in the Holy Spirit. Praying mothers can demonstrate in their words and actions how to model correct living and speaking in this 'crooked and perverse generation'(Phil 2 v 15).

7. Both of them knew how to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked.

   (1Samuel 2 v 9, Luke 1 v 52,54).     

    Both Hannah and Mary could discern between the proverbial fool and wise man. God loves all men, but some through their own choices are commended as wise, and others fools. Hannah would not have been taken in by the lifestyles of Eli's sons(1 Samuel 2 v 12-17). Praying mothers can be wonderful moral compasses in helping train their children to distinguish good from evil.
     I for one am convinced that praying mothers and listening children are essential foundations in the Kingdom of God. Often their lives are hidden ones. However, the Lord sees what is done and prayed in secret and will reward in full these champions of the faith.

The Inward Curvature of the Heart

The Inward Curvature of the Heart.

  " The beginning of love is the will to let those we love to be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them'.

                                          Thomas Merton .

      Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk who welcomed the 'four walled freedom' of monastic life. This quote from his work 'No Man is an Island' reflects part of his own pilgrimage as a Christian mystic whose writings have inspired many.
     His comment on human nature is similar to that observed by Martin Luther, who thought there was an 'inward curvature of the heart' in all of us, distorting even our best efforts with a propensity to honour the qualities that we most admire in ourselves. I find Jesus' words on this inclination of the heart very helpful and therapeutic:

  " You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' " But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, " that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust. " For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? " And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? " Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect".

                                       Matthew 5 v 43-48

     Christian love is far more radical than merely 'loving our own', or loving those qualities we see in others that we admire in ourselves. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to live and love the Jesus way. The apostle Paul would comment that 'we are always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body' ( 2 Cor 4 v 10). His insights put a fresh clothing of understanding on what Jesus meant by ' picking up our cross daily, and following Him'. The degree to which the selfless, incarnational love of Christ is revealed in and through me is the barometer reading of how intentionally I am embracing the Cross of Christ. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up, and can never be a substitute for love.
      At a conference two years ago, the writer and apologist Os Guiness gave one of the most helpful answers to one of the most challenging questions facing the church today. He was asked ' How do we respond to those like Richard Dawkins who are being so aggressive and militant against the Christian faith'? His answer was 'that our love card must always stretch further than our truth card. As Christians we are first and foremost defined by our reflecting the love of Jesus. When people know they are loved, they are more likely to listen to the truth we embody'.
   It is one thing to quote, but quite another to outwork and live this simple but profound truth. The inward curvature of my heart would prefer to throw hand grenades of truth from a distance, and reserve my love for those who most reflect the morals and ethics I admire. Applying the Jesus plumbline, it is how much I love my enemies and bless those that persecute me, that reflects how deeply the cross has transformed my life.
    Alan Scott, pastor of Causeway Vineyard commented that ' We don't love our communities in order for them to become Christians. We love them because we are Christians'. This is far more than a play on words.
    In every community there are people whom we find difficult to love, perhaps even open enmity between families. Do we only love those that we think are likely to become a Christian? Do we only love those who are 'open to our message'? Do we only love those who have qualities that we admire? Do we only love those who have the means to repay us in kind?
    I find that asking these questions gets to the heart of what Merton was exposing in his reflections. Without the daily application of the Cross I quickly revert back to simply loving those qualities that I can see and admire in others. Without the Cross, my attempts to love are flawed by the inward curvature of my heart. Only by embracing the Cross can I begin to incarnate the unconditional love of Christ towards my neighbour, whoever that may be, and wherever that may take me.