Poor

Sunday we will examine a word that most of us don't like.  The word is "poor."  What do you think of when you hear the word "poor?"

Some of us think of those who have made bad choices and have ended up in poverty.  Some desire to help this group.  Some say, "They made their bed ... now let them sleep in it."  Some feel duty bound to help the poor but they help reluctantly and suspiciously, feeling that the poor are dishonest and always out to scam the system.  Some just want to ignore this version of the poor.  The question for us is ... how does Jesus lead us to treat the poor.

Another version of "poor" is the poor in spirit (from the beatitudes).  We have been taught that these are folks who might be beat down by life and beat up by others (sounds like most of us to me).  Often we view these people as weak or unable to handle their own business.  What does Jesus say about them?

Both instances use the word Ptochos which in the Greek means "poor and helpless ... one who needs lifting."  The idea is that both groups cannot make it on their own strength ... they essentially do not have the capacity (without God) to navigate life and get to the place god has prepared without God's help.  I like that definition.  It describes all who understand our real dilemma in life ... we cannot (on our own power) get from our sin-filled and spiritually poor life to God's place where He makes all things new.  It highlights the idea that when the praise band sings the song, "All the Poor and Powerless" the words describe the condition we must be in to receive what God has for us.

I meet too many people who say, "I can handle my on stuff ... God helps those who help themselves ... we can fix our own situation ... we are self-sufficient."  The problem I see every day is ... these fixes don't work and at the end of the day we are left with useless cliches that contain none of God's power, forgiveness and provision.  As I have seen life play our in so many families, self-sufficient is not sufficient at all!  Jesus might say, "Come and I will give you living water from a well that never runs dry."  Sounds like a good plan to me!