Who are the poor, the crippled and lame?

“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!”Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In Nepal, the work I do is among the poor. Back in Australia the poor I meet are those who cannot see Jesus, they are blind to Him. Whilst I know there are poor here, I cannot find them. I had offered to visit a disability institute yesterday, however, was told they they would not be there. They were all going home for Christmas. This was good news. 

In a land where governments help the poor with benefits the poor are less poor by world standards, but not their own. I know there are homeless and families who have to sleep in their cars, this should not be so. Greed is rampant among the rich and heartless to boot. Rents are beyond the reach of the poor. So, as a church what can be done? We are told to welcome into our homes the poor. Is that happening?

I hear pastors tell congregations to invite people into their homes, yet I have not seen it. Jesus and the prophets did not just suggest good ideas. The above scripture comes with a promise as well. Jesus 

Have the following:

“Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.””Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This admonition is to include the cripple, lame and blind. This group is much larger. How about the orphans, the old ladies and old men as well? In Nepal I visited a house which was a home to old ladies who had no family. They are some of my most favourite people. I see them regularly at church there. I take them chocolates, and when I return will visit them regularly. Why? Because my Lord loves them and they cannot repay me. Before I left to return to Australia I saw a woman carry her crippled son across the road to catch a bus. Her son would be about 10. This woman will not always be able to do this as her son grows and she ages. What then? There are no homes in Nepal for the disabled. Families are supposed to care for them, and if not families communities. If people like me do not care what will become of these people?

Today let us examine our hearts:‘are we so selfish we refuse to enter the arena of God’s mercy and grace? What will become of us? Will we be like the rich man in hell who refused to help Lazarus the beggar at his gates? Why was the rich man in hell? It seems his sole sin was selfishness. Let it not be our fate. Amen!