Does God Call You to Love the Poor?

Editor's note: This is Part 1 in a three-part series about loving the poor.  Part 2 explores the meaning of the word "love"in this context, and Part 3 considers who "the poor" are.  

For almost nine years, I’ve been writing about loving the poor. I’ve been encouraging you to do it. I’ve been encouraging everyone I know, and lots of people I don’t know, to love the poor, to care about the addicted, to give so that the Union Gospel Mission might welcome the homeless and provide the means for them to make their lives better.

I’ve even been speaking for God, saying that GOD wants you to love the poor. I’ve based those claims on Scripture and the express wishes of UGM’s executive director, but recently I started wondering what exactly I mean when I say, “God loves the poor,” and am I even doing what I’m asking you to do.

I think it’s high time I delved a little deeper and asked myself if I’m representing God correctly.

Here are the questions that immediately come to mind for me: Doesn’t God love the world (John 3:16)? Does he love some people more than others? What does the Bible mean by “poor”? It many cases, the word seems to refer to something other than financial poverty. Are not the financially affluent often quite poor in spirit? Are the rich any less in need of salvation? Should we all strive to be poor so that God will love us more? Is American poverty really in the same category as third-world poverty? If I’m asking people to give to the poor, shouldn’t the poorest take priority? What do I mean by the verb “love” or the phrase “God’s heart for the poor”? Most importantly, what exactly does Scripture say about God’s attitude toward the poor? And what are we, as Christ’s followers, called/commanded to do?

There’s probably enough fodder for a large book there, so first a few disclaimers: 1) I’m not going to answer all of these questions in one post or even two; 2) These are my own personal ponderings. Phil Altmeyer, UGM executive director, already has this clearly resolved in his mind, and when I speak or write for UGM, I am speaking and writing from a 65-year tradition based on “reaching the poor with the love and power of the gospel.” This essay is nothing more than my personal attempt to wrestle with questions I thought you might be wrestling with as well.

Scripture has a lot to say on the subject – nearly 3,000 verses devoted to justice for the oppressed, 400 that mention “the poor” specifically. Most of those are in the Old Testament.

“For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’” (Deuteronomy 15:11)

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” (Proverbs 14:31)

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17)

“My whole being will exclaim, ‘Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.’” (Psalm 35:10)

“With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.” (Psalm 109:30-31)

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.” (Psalm 113:5-8)

"He has brought down rulers from their throne but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty." (Mary's Magnificat, Luke 1:52-53)

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.” (Luke 6:20)

“Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5)

So, to sum up: God tells us to be openhanded – generous – to the poor. He says anyone who is kind to the poor is showing honor to him, and the person who mistreats the poor is showing contempt for him. He personally stands beside the needy, defends them from those who would overpower them. He raises them and seats them with royalty. God calls the poor “blessed” and chose them to be heirs of the kingdom. Upon finding out that she had been chosen to give birth to the Savior, Mary points to a reversal of fortunes - rulers cast down, the humble lifted. This is just a small sampling of verses, and yet, it seems clear that the poor do occupy a special position in Scripture. God is definitely clear about how his followers are to treat them. If we are seeking to be like him, we will stand by them and take action to rescue them from those who would oppress them.

“God’s heart for the poor” seems to mean that he has a vested interest in how they are treated.

But all of this begs the question: Does God love the poor more or most especially? Don't we believe that God pays attention to all of us, listens to us, stands by us, gives us our daily bread and blesses us with beauty and kindness and mercy? Why does scripture single out the poor?

I ask you to look back over the above verses again. Who is the focus in each one? Put yourself into the verse. Where do you fit? What is the action requested/commanded? Is it possible that when Scripture refers to the poor, the primary focus isn't really the poor but how we respond to them?

More to come. 

Click here for Part 2 of this series on loving the poor.

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