Poor

Did Christ neglect the poor? Is there no hope that poverty will disappear? Three of the Gospels state:

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. (Matthew 26:11 KJV)

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. (Mark 14:7 KJV)

For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. (John 12:8 KJV

Matthew gives us Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist’s question: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5 KJV) The poor are left unchanged, except by the Gospel. Yet, that is the greatest gift for it, only, offers eternal life.

We’re to love our neighbors as ourselves, and what we do to them is to Him: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40 KJV) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:45 KJV)

James tells us that what we do displays the depth of our faith: If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:15-17 KJV)

Christ tells us how He feels when we do it: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40 KJV)

And, He tells us how He feels when we do NOT do it: Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:45 KJV)

However – will doing good save either the giver or receiver? No. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV) Once that gift is accepted, the recipient’s life should reflect changes.

That’s why Christians join Paul in praying for God’s children: That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 KJV)

What we have is eternal life with our Lord. How then can we give less than Peter: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6 KJV)