Compassion for the Sake of God's Reputation

“Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” (Pr 17:5 AV)

Let me explain what this means and doesn’t mean.  Depending on our world view, we gaze upon the poor and destitute in different ways.  Our solutions vary.  If we are to consider the second half of the proverb as a further explanation of the first, then we see this mockery is thinking the poor deserve their condition and are glad it is the way it is.  Furthermore, this mocker is fulfilled with inaction and lack of compassion on the poor and destitute.  What is a shame is our society, right or left, has done little to nothing to fix the problem.  The methods that have been used the past are becoming extinct.  We have been conditioned to ignore the plight of others or simply throw money at it thinking it will go away.

There was, and still is, this immaculate white clad complex that sits on a gentile hill outside of one of the cities in which I lived.  It sits there in very good shape, yet empty and unused.  Looking at it, once can tell it was some sort of health care facility.  It was a hospital for the mentally ill and drug addicted of our community.  Now, it sits empty.  In another city in which I lived sits a rather large facility that once helped the mentally ill.  It has shut its doors and has been converted to an office building.  Soup kitchens and boarding houses are closing.  What makes this even worse is the regulations and persecutions of faith-based ministries set up to help the less fortunate.  These facilities may not be the cadillac of health care, but it sure beats living on the streets.  We can gaze upon those who are less fortunate and find choices that led to their destitution.  We can list a number of unwise choices and be justified in our investigative conclusions.  But this does not solve the problem.

What we need is for government to get off the backs of those who want to help and encourage our communities to get involved.  I have a heart for the addict.  More than likely, his or her addiction started by a foolish choice.  Sometimes it did not.  Sometimes it started by another addict forcing their addiction on a helpless child.  Regardless, we are all sinners by nature and by choice.  We are all in the same boat, more or less.  Jesus Christ did not mock us.  Rather, He came to die for us.  If we want to be a part of the solution than the naïve progressive thinker must get out of the way of the faith-based community and let us fulfill our calling.  Those that claim the love of Christ need to do something.  Maybe we are too small of a work to do much.  But we can support those who can.  Let me give you one example before I close.

We live in a large city.  The destitute can be seen begging at major intersections.  I witness compassion on a regular basis.  Just recently, this lady was on an intersection with her cardboard sign.  The driver of the car ahead of me stuck his hand out and gave her some money.  The problem is, such compassion may further a habit that has gotten her is the place of having to beg.  We will never know.  Another such incident happened several months ago.  But this time, the driver gave the beggar a small bag full of all sorts of things.  From personal hygiene products to food vouchers to local fast food restaurants.  I thought that was ingenious.  Sure, the second individual could trade them for drugs, but the generous driver was one step removed.  The point is this: we cannot ignore the plight of the less fortunate no matter how they got that way. But we cannot take the easy way out either.  We all deserve the gates of hell for our wickedness towards God.  We all live in the consequences of our choices.  Some more, some less.  Having compassion on our fellow man will go a long way in receiving the mercy we seek from our loving God.