Conviction: Support

Yesterday I shared the definition for Poverty, (which is of course from Dictionary.com) and today I want to talk a little bit more about that.

Just to refresh your memory:
pov·er·ty  /ˈpɒvərti/ [pov-er-tee]
–noun
1. the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence.

While all of that is important, the part that is most important today is the end of that first clause: no means of support.
While money is important (unfortunately because I hate it, but don't get me started) a lack of money is not the sole cause of poverty. It's important to realize that in too many cases, families are in poverty because no one will help them. Sure, there are organizations and groups and government programs that are helping the poor.

But if everyone, everyone helped? The results would eliminate poverty. Completely eliminate poverty. You might think that I'm overstating this, but think about it. If everyone in this world took care of just one other person who needed it, we would most certainly be in a better place.

Here's a verse often referenced towards the poor, found in James:
James 1:27 --
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

But there are plenty of other verses that strike a similar note, including this string:
Deuteronomy 24:19-21 --
This is what you must do when you’re harvesting wheat in your field. If you forget to bring in one of the bundles of wheat, don’t go back to get it. Leave it there for foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. When you harvest olives from your trees, never knock down all of them. Leave some for foreigners, orphans, and widows. When you pick the grapes in your vineyard, don’t pick all of them. Leave some for foreigners, orphans, and widows.

So just help. We know that everything we earn here is useless after we die, so why not make other's lives just a little easier?

Pretty straightforward, eh? Stay tuned for tomorrow's post!