The Right Thing

The Right Thing
The Apostle James wrote,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”   James 2:14-20.
I think what James is saying here about helping the poor is a universal truth any one of any faith with a sense of common decency can understand. It is simply the humane thing to help those who are in need.
There are approximately 2000 scriptures commanding us to look after the poor.
As Christians we are called to help the poor in what ever way we can even if it’s only giving a glass of water.
Christians are one of the largest contributors to helping the needy. However there is much we can learn from our Jewish friends. Who for centuries have been among the largest contributors to helping the poor irrespective of their faith.
One interesting concept from Judaism that Christians and for that matter anyone of any faith, I believe should consider is something called Tzedakah.
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah, from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance of tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes. Taxes themselves do not fulfill our obligation to give tzedakah even though a significant proportion of tax revenues in America and many other countries are used to provide for the poor and needy. Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence may give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden.
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles; contrary to popular belief, Jew do not just care for our own. Quite the contrary a study of reported in the Jewish journal indicated that Jewish ‘mega-donors’ (who give more than $10 million a year to charity found that only 6% if their mega-dollars went to specifically Jewish causes.
Judaism acknowledges that many people who ask for charity have no genuine need. In fact, the Talmud suggest that this is a good thing: if all people who asked for charity  were in genuine need, we would be subjected to punishment for G-d for refusing anyone who asked. The existence of frauds diminishes our liability for failing to give to all who ask. Because we have some legitimate basis for doubting a beggar’s sincerity. It is permissible to investigate the legitimacy of charity before donating to it.
We have an obligation to avoid becoming in need of Tzedakah. A person should take any work available, even if he thinks it is beneath his dignity to avoid become a public charge.
However, if a person is truly in need and has no way of obtaining money on his own he should not feel embarrassed to accept tzedakah. No person should feel too proud to take money from others. In fact it is considered a transgression to refuse tzedakah. One source says that to make yourself suffer by refusing to accept tzedakah is equivalent to shedding your own blood.
Levels of Tzedakah
Certain kinds of tzedakah ar considered mor meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, bu giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

As Christians the above concepts is something we should consider. It is perfectly in line with Christian belief.
It is the humane thing to do irrespective of what you believe.
As a Christian I believe it is something we should also be asking our Christians leaders to consider. It is something we should be asking even our political leaders, particularly those who claim to be Christian to follow.  For it was Christ who said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12
And wouldn’t you want help if you were in need?
 Please think about it.

On Giving

On Giving

The Talmud tells these two stories
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                      The Talmud.
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                                                             The Talmud.
We here in the western nations live in societies that have great wealth. At the same time there is a lot of poverty and need.
Question: what have you done lately to help the less fortunate around you?
Everyone can do something even if it’s just a simple act.
The Judaism has a concept called Tzedakah. It is a concept that I believe all people can understand and practice be they Jewish, Christians or of any other faith.
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah. It comes from a Jewish website. It explains,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought. Tzedakah is one of the three acts that gain us forgiveness from our sins. The High Holiday liturgy repeated states that G-d has inscribed a judgement against all who have sinned, but teshuvah (repentance) tefila (prayer) and tzedakah can alleviate the decree.
According to Jewish law, we are requiered to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes. Taxes themselves do not fulfill our obligation to give tzedakah even though a significant proportion of tax revenues in America and many other countries are used to provide for the poor and needy. Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence my give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden.
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles; contrary to popular belief, Jew do not just care for our own. Quite the contrary a study of reported in the Jewish journal indicated that Jewish ‘mega-donors’ (who give more than $10 million a year to charity found that only 6% if their mega-dollars went to specifically Jewish causes.
Judaism acknowledges that many people who ask for charity have no genuine need. In fact, the Talmud suggest that this is a good thing: if all people who asked for charity have no were in genuine Need we would be subjected to punishment for G-d for refusing anyone who asked. The existence of frauds diminishes our liability for failing to give to all who ask. Because we have some legitimate basis for doubting a beggar’s sincerity. It is permissible to investigate the legitimacy of charity before donating to it.
We have an obligation to avoid becoming in need of Tzedakah. A person should take any work available, even if he thinks it is beneath his dignity to avoid become a public charge.
However, if a person is truly in need and has no way of obtaining money on his own he should not feel embarrassed to accept tzedakah. No person should feel to proud to take money from others. In fact it is considered a transgression to refuse tzedakah. One source says that to make yourself suffer by refusing to accept tzedakah is equivalent to shedding your own blood.
Levels of Tzedakah
Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, bu giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

As Christians the above is something I know I can understand it lines up perfectly with Christian thought.
But even from a strictly human stand point tzedakah makes sense. I believe is something we should all be practising irrespective of your faith. It is the humane and right thing to do.
Please think about it.

You and the needy

You and the needy
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 
Matthew 7:12.
The Jews have a concept called Tzedakah. It is something I believe all people, Christian, Jew, or anyone for that matter should consider. The following is a brief explanation of Tzedakah from a Jewish website.
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.”
The question I would ask you the reader do you treat others the way you want to be treated. Do you do your best to help the poor and needy in your community?
Jesus tells this parable.
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” 
                                                      Luke 16:19-31.
I believe we as human beings have a duty to help those who are in need as much as we can. It is a sacred trust God has given us.
The Talmud also tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  
He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                             The Talmud.
As I write this it is the first week in January 2016. Not counting the millions of refugees that are streaming out of the war torn middle east, there are millions in the United States, Canada and the western countries of the world in need of food, clothing, and shelter and in the United States in particular decent affordable heath care.
The way I see it having enough food to eat, clothing, shelter and health care are basic human rights.
I believe it is up to both those of faith and those who do not believe to do what we can to see the everyone in our society has access to them.
It is time for those of us who can to reach out to those in need and to call on our governments to do more to help the needy.
Please think about it.

Your Dealings

Your Dealings

The Talmud states,
When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                         The Talmud.
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
 Ecclesiastes12:13,14
I truly believe the above. Be we Christians or of other faiths dealing honourably and faithfully with your fellow man is simply the right thing to do.
We should not be showing favouritism to anyone. If we truly believe all men are created equal then we should treat all people the same.
Lately there has been a lot of screaming about a man in the states that bought the rights to an important drug and jacked the price up so high it makes it impossible for many people to buy it. This is not dealing honourably with one’s fellow man.
Many drug companies are attaching price tags to necessary drugs that are so high it potentially condemns people who could have lived or have a better life to death.
Governments are the same. In the United States they debate health care seemingly endlessly. Many in government refuse to grant universal health care to all their citizens.
While Canada’s health care system is infinitely better there are many necessary things that have to be paid for out of pocket. The government leaders saying its just too expensive to provide. And if they can’t afford it how do they expect the average citizen to afford it.
Again by not doing so they are condemning people to a lesser quality of life or potential death.
For the very poor and disabled in our society government programs and pensions don’t pay enough to put food on the table and keep a roof over the heads of people.
People go without meals in the richest countries of the world. While government leaders who are wealthy give themselves excellent pensions and benefits.
Shouldn’t everyone in a society where all are considered equal, have at the very least the same pensions and benefits our elected officials have?
The Talmud states this,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                                                                                              The Talmud
As a realist I know it’s hard to effect change. That brings true equality at least with respect to social programs to all, is it seems an impossible dream. Politicians do and say what they have to do to get into power. Then when in power they follow their own agenda.
I’d go as far as saying most politicians if not all lack any kind of faith in God. They definitely do not fear God. Still they will I believe one day have to answer to God.
The writer of Ecclesiastes stating.
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 
 Ecclesiastes12:13,14 
If I am wrong those in power have no fear. However if I am right and I am certain I am they have a lot to fear.
Sadly however because those in power act not in the best interest of not only the poor, sick and needy, but in the best interest of all under them, many individuals will be hurt.
James the half brother of Christ wrote this,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” 
                                                                                                                 James 2:14-20.
I know James was writing to Christians but the truth is a universal one. Helping those in need to the best of ability is the humane thing to do. And those in power have a great deal of ability.
Please think about it.

A Universal Truth

A universal truth
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
        Matthew 7:12.
This is one thing Christian and non-Christian can I believe agree on. If everyone treated others the way they would want to be treated this world would be a much better place to live in.
Anne Frank a young girl living in hiding from the Nazis in Holland during world war two wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!”                                                                                                                                                   Anne Frank.
Love and kindness are what makes the world a better place. Unfortunately Anne Frank experienced the opposite of kindness, hate. She was betrayed and died in one of Hitler’s concentration camps.
Around the world today there seems to be a lack of love. We see it in the extreme with the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. We see it on the streets of North American cities with the rise of gun violence and murders.
We see it also to a lesser degree when politicians fail to help the most vulnerable of our society.
We see it when we as individuals fail to do all we can do to help others. When we fail to show love.
The apostle Paul wrote what to be is the best definition of love. Something all people everywhere can identify with. He wrote,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast,

 it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs.

 Love does not delight in evil

 but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, 

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
                                                                                                      1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is the one thing we all appreciate. Love is the one thing we should be showing to others at all times in word and most especially in deed.
Do you practice this kind of love?
Please think about it.

The greatest thing

The greatest thing

Here is a universal truth that everyone can understand irrespective of their faith, Love.
The apostle Paul wrote,

“Love is patient, love is kind.

 It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs.

 Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  Reliant

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                                                        1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

Is this the kind of love you have?
The world today lacks love in many ways. Especially here in the west and in North America were all too many people bow down to the dollar bill, love is lacking.
You walk through any major city in North America and you might as well be an emotionless, faceless automaton. Commuters pass the same people day after day and yet never know their name.
Even when we conduct our business we do so by Email or through an emotionless computer. It’s be come a press one for this, press two for that society. Personal contact is lacking. People are simply becoming figures on a ledger.
Is it any wonder our young people are turning to terrorist groups to find meaning and love in their life?
We as individuals need to show more love. We need to reach out and embrace someone once in a while. To tell people we love them.
Businesses need to step up to the plate and show more compassion for their workers cater as much as possible to their workers needs. Show them that they are appreciated.
When I was younger there was a movie musical came out called Good by Mr Chips. It’s theme music had the title “In the morning of my life” the lyrics say,

In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the evening of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

                                                                             From the movie Good by Mr. Chips.
Question: At the end of your life will you be able to say “I filled the world with Love?”
Will God say that?
Please think about it.

The Right thing

The Humane thing.

The Talmud also tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                                                                   The Talmud.
Here is a concept that not only Jews and Christians can understand but I believe everyone can understand.
There is a lot of poverty in the world. Statistics point out that the top one or two percent of the worlds population own the majority of the wealth in the world. And to there credit there are many very rich people who are helping the less fortunate of the world. Most I would say quietly without fan fair. Still we only have to watch our televisions to see the immense poverty that is in the world. Not only in the second and third world but in the developed countries of the world also.
Not only do people go to bed hungry in the third world but in Canada, the United states and all western countries. This should not be.
The Jews have a concept called Tzedakah,
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah as I can find. It comes from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes...
Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence my give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden...
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles.
  There are levels of Tzedakah certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more
meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, be giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

I believe we who can, need to be giving as much as we can to help the less fortunate in this world. To me it is simply the right thing to do irrespective of what you believe.
Please think about it.

Honourably

Honourably

“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                    The Talmud.
The above is somewhat how I imagine it when it comes to standing before God.
The Atheist can’t exactly say to God you don’t exist because he is standing before God. The theist can’t say that either because he or she believes God exists even before they got there.
So the question becomes “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all hour dealings with your fellow man?”
This question applies to everyone from the poorest person living in the poorest neighbourhood on earth to the greatest politician to the richest person on earth and everyone in between.
God I believe will ask this question, not because he doesn’t know how we’ve dealt with our fellow man, because he does, but because he want’s an honest answer from us.
Will you be able to answer yes to that question?
I believe the further our society drifts from God and the fear of God’s ultimate judgement the worse our society becomes,
Aba Hillel Silver wrote
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
                                                                                                             Abba Hillel Silver.
Please think about it.

The humane thing

The Humane thing
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.” 
                                                             Leviticus 19: 9,10.
From the earliest of days God wanted man to watch out and help his fellow man. We are called to love our fellow man that means if necessary helping him out. The quotation from the Old Testament shows one way God provided for the poor.
In the New Testament James writes,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”  
                                             James 2:14-18
The Talmud tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
                                                                                                              The Talmud
The above statements I believe are truths both secular and religious people can agree with.
There is a need to help the poor.
I have heard both political leaders and religious leaders alike over the years say “work hard and you’ll get ahead.”
Sadly I know many people who have worked hard. Not only men and women who have one two even three jobs and still find it hard to make ends meet. But those who have had successful careers only to have something happen and cause them to end up in hard times.
The simple fact of the matter is, sometimes for whatever reason no matter how hard you work things don’t work out. It has nothing to do with how hard you work.
We as human beings need to be thinking about our fellow man and how we can help them, be they in a foreign land or in the city where we live.
We need to be calling on our government officials to spend more money on programs to help the individual who have come on hard times.
We need to be calling on private industry pay living wages and governments to raise minimum wages to livable amounts.
We need to be telling them to make real investments of tax payers dollars in health care, education, housing and other areas that directly benefit the individual.
What better way to spend tax dollars than on the people who need it and will benefit from it most.
This I believe is the Christian way to do things. The humane way to deal with our fellow man.
Please think about it.