Defending the Cause..

“He (King Josiah) defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?”declares the LORD. Jeremiah 22:16

What does it mean to defend the cause of the poor and needy I ask myself? I think that is one good question.

Over the past few weeks I have tried to put myself in the shoes of the poor and needy people of this world. I have grieved in my soul empathizing with their pain that I will probably never know. Webster's definition of Empathy is: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.

The next question becomes, is "empathy" enough? The sad little tear stained faces on TV, children with no shoes, or parents living in cardboard houses, eating out of trash cans, most definitely a tear jerker. The sad thing is this is real!! It is not made up, the pictures, stories are true. The answer: empathy, will never be enough! Faith with out deeds is dead. We must step up as the body of Christ, and put action to our faith.

Even sadder, I think, is that the United States of America, alone, has the income to feed and cure the hunger problem world wide, by 3 times.

Why hasn't this happened yet? Where is the problem? I believe the problem begins and ends with us, the body of Christ.

"To the Angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: " I know your works, you labor,your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent." Rev. 2:1-5

Our "First Love" is Jesus Christ! What we do toward others is what the bible says we do unto Him. We must remember our first love and repent. Repent is: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.

How do we then dedicate oneself to the amendment of our life? I believe we look toward what scripture says to do and how we ought to live. Matt 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in an steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality. 2 Corinthians 8:13-14

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time,…and in the age to come… Mark 10:28-30

(In Christ), the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:16

The Lord has given us what we need to make an impact on the world for Jesus!! We have been blessed to be a blessing.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, on faith, on baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4: 1-6