Tag Archives: welfare

March 16 – Homeless and Hungry

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Deuteronomy 14-16

I had an interesting conversation over lunch yesterday with some of my church friends. Of course, in this election year it’s hard not to talk about  politics. Have I told you how much I love talking politics?

Not!

Our conversation got stalled a bit on the topic of jobless and/or homeless people. Do you give money to the man standing on the street corner with a sign that says, “Homeless and Hungry?” What if he is smoking a cigarette? Does that change your opinion?

I used to be a church secretary and I couldn’t begin to count the number of calls I received from strangers trying to get some money. As a school counselor, the number of people asking for assistance was astronomical.

Who is responsible for caring for our poor? Is it the government? Is Bernie right to promise free assistance for everybody? How did we get to the place in this country where it is ok for needy people to receive handouts from the government, but flipping burgers is beneath them?

Today as I read these chapters in Deuteronomy, I hear God saying there will be no poor among you. He says if there is a poor man, open your hand freely to him. Be generous.

Here’s where I think we have failed as a nation and as the Church. There should be no needy people in our church fellowships. Yes, it’s our responsibility to care for our own, to lend a hand. But I don’t see the Bible saying the government should have any part of it.

Personally, I don’t hand out money to strangers, even if they parade their children in front of them like the man I saw yesterday outside Walmart. But if there is a family member who needs some help during a hard time, or someone in my church with a need, I want to obey God and open my hand freely.

I’d much rather have a say as to where my help is directed, rather than having someone in government deciding. I don’t think they’ve done a great job with the money I already give. How many trillions are we in debt? And, besides, I don’t see government assistance is anywhere close to being God’s plan for us.

Father God, I pray for people who have no home, who are jobless and hungry. God, I pray that the people close to them, that church fellowships will reach out to them and help them get back on their feet. I pray for jobless people. Open doors to employment that will begin to pay the bills. I pray that needy people will see Your hand at work in miraculous ways. And I pray for this election. I pray that Christians will not stay home on voting day because they don’t happen to like the candidates. I pray that our voices will be heard against government control of every detail of our lives. It’s up to us as Christians to be vessels through which you can defeat Satan’s control in our land.

Feb 19 – Politics. Ugh.

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Leviticus 19-21

I’m going to be honest. I hate politics. You can imagine how much I am enjoying watching the news these days. I try to watch the debates, truly. But I get so frustrated not only with the candidates but with the people asking the idiotic questions to try to get the candidates to sling some dirt at each other.

Ugh. So when reading in Leviticus this morning, I wasn’t all that pleased that what jumped out at me was political. Ok, God. I’ll address it. But I’m not happy about it.

Socialism is the word of the day. Where before, the ideology was masked in the form of the Democratic Party policy of big government, taxing and spending, people are at least being honest about what it is they propose. Socialism. Give our money to the government and trust the all-wise, all-knowing elite to distribute it equally.

Please don’t tell me you believe in that.

I digress. Is it a shame that there are homeless, jobless, uninsured and needy citizens of our country? Absolutely. It’s sad that our government has made such a mess of things. But the shame shouldn’t be on the government (although it is), because the government shouldn’t be taking on the responsibility of the individual. Look where that’s gotten us.

When I read Scripture like Leviticus 19:9-10, telling us how to care for the needy, I see two things. 1) those who have share, 2) those who don’t have get out there and work.

I see no one having their possessions taken away so someone else could get something for free.

God, in these verses, is speaking to His Old Testament children. But I believe He’s speaking to us, too. Every Bible believing fellowship should have an outreach program. Ideally, there should be no one on welfare attending our churches, no unemployed. The church should be helping the people in that church.

I am as frustrated with the system as anyone. But, personally, I will never vote for anyone who even hints at a platform of socialism. I’m convinced we need to get our government out of our pockets and our decisions, and put the responsibility back on the individual.

That idea didn’t originate with me. It’s how God told His children to live. I’m pretty sure He knows how things should go better than any U.S. politician.

Dear God, I pray for the United States of America as we elect a new President. Father, I ask that You would speak to the hearts of Your children, may we be vocal about the things You lay on our hearts. May we stand up for the truth of Scripture. And may we vote according to Your leading. I pray that a godly man will live in the White House for the next four years. If that happens, it will be because Your children put aside politics and sought Your will. Then, Lord, may your Church be that avenue You can use to care for our citizens.