God wanted to bless His people in order that there would be no poor among them (Deut. 15:4). However, poverty will always exist (Deut. 15:11, Matt. 26:11). As such, the Savior’s mission included spiritual and material relief for those who suffered financially (Luke 4:18, 19; Luke 7:19–22). Loving others and helping others in need is a divine commandment for those who follow the Savior (Deut. 15:11).

Welfare work in Israel was a collective and individual duty, as seen in the practice every seven years of allowing the land to rest (Exod. 23:10, 11), in the gleaning (Lev. 23:22), and the right of the hungry to feed from someone else’s field (Deut. 23:25). The Scriptures teach us to be proactive in charity (Job 29:12–16, Isa. 58:6–8), as this activity is part of pure and undefiled religion (James 1:27). Love for the vulnerable brings divine blessings (Prov. 28:27, Ps. 41:1). When we help the afflicted, we also help the Lord in the person of those in need (Matt. 25:35–40).

Job was righteous because he loved the poor and helped them as if they were part of his family (Job 29:16). The apostles forsook all to follow the Savior (Matt. 19:27), whereas the rich young man gave up the prospect of discipleship, refusing to donate his possessions to the poor, because his love for his wealth was supreme (Matt. 19:16–22).

Just as being faithful in tithes and offerings is an indication of a return to God (Mal. 3:6–10), helping the weak and the disadvantaged among us points to an authentic spiritual experience, as demonstrated in Zacchaeus’s conversion (Luke 19:1–10).

Part II: Commentary

In God’s perfect plan, all should enjoy the abundance of the divine promises (Deut. 15:4), but because of disobedience, the poor would always exist. In this context, we are called to open our hands to the needy (Deut. 15:11).

To that end, we shall look at the concepts of poverty and charity in the Bible, which are quite extensive, and seek to understand their meaning for our lives.

The Least of These (Read Matt. 25:35–40.)

1. All Those Who Suffer: From Bible references, it is possible to identify classes of suffering individuals who needed protection. Using a basic grouping concept, the poor were

(a) those who were incapable of providing for their material needs and thus were unable to live a dignified life because of social rejection or prejudice (prisoners, lepers, and foreigners, for example);

(b) those who suffered extreme economic deprivation because of adverse conditions (the poor, diseased, hungry, thirsty, naked, needy, and wretched);

(c) those with physical constraints (the mute, blind, and lame);

(d) those who were emotionally discouraged and, perhaps, psychologically unable to care for themselves without assistance (the brokenhearted, the mentally ill, and the perishing);

(e) victims of their own mistakes, oppression, and injustice (outcasts, exiles, prisoners, victims of inequity, brutality, and exploitation); and

(f) those who needed help to start their lives anew (read Lev. 23:22; Deut. 15:11; Luke 4:18, 19; Isa. 62:1, 2; Deut. 15:11; Job 29:12–16; Matthew 11; Luke 7:20–22; Matt. 25:35–40).

The circumstances of poverty and the question of whether the sufferer is responsible for his or her impoverished state are irrelevant. Neither is the question of whether such a person deserves to receive assistance or not. Even a person from a rival nation should be the object of God’s love in practicing charity, as we see demonstrated in the parable of the Samaritan (Luke 10:28–37, Luke 17:16–18, John 8:48).

2. The Redeemer, A Close Relative: In the Old Testament, the redeemer was a close relative who had the obligation to rescue and free a family member from slavery, poverty, and destitution. This duty also included the close relative’s obligation to marry the childless widow of his brother, preventing her from becoming destitute (Lev. 25:25, 48, 49; Deut. 25:5; Ruth 2:20). The Jews usually understood this obligation as being applicable only among the members of the chosen nation.

However, in the story of the Samaritan, Jesus shows that the idea of the relative who helps his brother is not linked to ties of blood, religion, or nationality. The Samaritan—foreign and despised—who is the redeemer (savior) in the story stands in as the close relative of the beaten Jew, who was left for dead on the side of the road (Luke 10:29–37). The duty to love our neighbor is part of the two great commandments (Luke 10:27, 28) upon which all the law and the writings of the prophets are established. This duty also means that we should love one another because all are neighbors (redeemers) at some point. The word “neighbor” evokes the compassionate and practical love that God commanded the families in Israel to demonstrate. This love should be extended to humanity in its entirety.

God sent His Son to the world (John 3:16) to save without discrimination of any kind. Jesus is the ultimate example of the Kinsman-Redeemer, our close Relative, who came to rescue us from wretchedness, suffering, and eternal destruction. His example should be the standard for our human relationships, especially in the church and in connection with the poor and those who suffer. Therefore, we should not deny help to any person but offer food and water even to our enemies (Prov. 25:21, 22; Rom. 12:20, 21). However, remember that, as much as possible, the aim of charity is to motivate and enable the person to care for himself or herself.

Those who suffer persecution because of their faith also are God’s special little ones, of whom is constituted the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:10, 11).

Ways to Help the Poor

You may have heard some criticize charity as a means for the ruling classes to control the poor or as a strategy to avoid the emergence of conflict between the forces of capital and labor. Others believe that welfare reinforces begging and parasitic dependency, opposed to rehabilitative efforts for the empowerment and development of the individual.

However, the Scriptures recommend immediate relief measures (Deut. 15:11; Isa. 58:6, 7) to aid impoverished persons who are on the road to economic recovery. Whatever measures are adopted, the assistance rendered to the poor and afflicted should be protective. That is, aid to the poor should not engender unnecessary dependency on the ones assisting them and should endeavor to shield them from exploitation (Deut. 15:1, 2; Lev. 25:9–19). Such a rehabilitative recovery plan includes seeing to the emotional and spiritual restoration of the poor, while respecting their dignity (Isa. 58:6–8, Luke 4:16–19).

How to Help

1. Feel the Desire to Participate: Church members may adopt a personal support plan to assist someone in need. They also may work together to volunteer in an educational project run by the church to help the needy with life skills and personal development.

2. A Dedicated Fund for the Poor: Each member may set aside a dedicated amount or percentage from the family budget to regularly assist people in need, as well as to contribute to the welfare and development projects run by his or her church.

The money in every believer’s hand should be divided into three equal parts: (a) God first, through tithes and offerings (Mal. 3:8–10, Matt. 6:33); (b) the family (1 Tim. 5:8); and (c) the destitute (Gal. 2:10, James 1:27). However, it is important to remember that “the tithe is set apart for a special use. It is not to be regarded as a poor fund. It is to be especially devoted to the support of those who are bearing God’s message to the world; and it should not be diverted from this purpose.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Stewardship, p. 103.

In addition to the sanctuary offerings, the Bible alludes to charity provisions from other resources, such as “gleaning” (Deut. 24:19–22; Lev. 19:9, 10), the right to source food from another person’s field (Deut. 23:24, 25), and voluntary initiatives (Prov. 29:7, Isa. 58:7).

There was a contribution that the Israelites called the “second tithe” (Heb. ma’aser sheni) of all the increase (Deut. 14:28, 29; Deut. 26:12, 13), set aside for the family’s religious expenses and for charity.

Every devout Israelite had to spend in Jerusalem one-tenth of the increase of their land as a second tithe. (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus: An Investigation Into Economic and Social Conditions During the New Testament Period [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1969], pp. 28, 57).

Read from Ellen G. White the following chapter regarding the second tithe: “God’s Care for the Poor,” in Patriarchs and Prophets.

3. Care for the Poor, A Hallmark of God’s Righteousness in the Life of the Christian: We need to be more than religious because Job, the rich young man, and Zacchaeus were rich and religious. Their stories show—for better, as was the case with Job and Zacchaeus, or for worse, as was the case with the rich young ruler—that where wealth is concerned, our spiritual lives must not be defined by the blessing of riches or by a pretense of religion but by a genuine response to the divine command to help the poor and unfortunate.

The emphasis in the stories of these three men is on their spiritual experience, not on the destitute persons who would receive their charity. The Bible accounts highlight the spiritual diagnosis of each character in the three stories, using charity as a reference.

Job understood that charity was God’s righteousness in his life (Job 29:12–16). The conversion of Zacchaeus was evident when he decided to return all that he had taken and to give half of his goods to the poor (Luke 19:1–10). For the rich young man, giving all to the poor was his opportunity to become a disciple of the King of kings and, possibly, to save his life from Jerusalem’s destruction, approximately forty years later. Giving his possessions to the poor stood between the young man and salvation (Matt. 19:16–22). Sad to say, the young man valued his possessions more than the One who gave him the power to acquire wealth.

Part III: Life Application

Care for the poor is a divine covenant commandment (Deut. 15:7) and an expression of pure religion before God (James 1:27).

We help Christ when we care for those who suffer (Matt. 25:35–46).

Ask a class member to read aloud the quotations below. Then discuss with your class the questions that follow.

“I saw that it is in the providence of God that widows and orphans, the blind, the deaf, the lame, and persons afflicted in a variety of ways, have been placed in close Christian relationship to His church; it is to prove His people and develop their true character.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 511.

“Those on the left hand of Christ, those who had neglected Him in the person of the poor and the suffering, were unconscious of their guilt. Satan had blinded them; they had not perceived what they owed to their brethren. They had been self-absorbed, and cared not for others’ needs.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 639.

Disclaimer: Contents of these lessons are not intended to be financial advice but is general commentary based on biblical principles. The reader is encouraged to seek competent professional advice which will suit their particular personal situation.