Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Remember the Poor
Leviticus 19: 9-16
Key Verse: “… you shall leave them for the poor and the alien; I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 19: 10b)
Devotion:
This passage is part of the ‘Holiness Code’ in the book of Leviticus with instructions to the community to keep holiness as a fitting response to the Lord their God who is holy. The well-known ethical mandate is loud and clear: “…but love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19: 18b). The neighbor is the poor and the marginalized ‘other’ in society, meaning any fellow human. This entails not just refraining from hurt but to ensure the well-being of the ‘other.’
At a closer look, the passage reveals the prohibitions, the commandments, and a few admonitions as an expanded version of the Ten Commandments. One should take guard against transgressions on the neighbor, but again, take care and protect the vulnerable. This is very much integral to one’s obligations towards God and the other. Mahatma Gandhi’s aphorism, “The world has enough for everyone’s needs and not for everyone’s greed,” has ecological implications. It follows that it is the ethical responsibility of those who are blessed with enough resources, to share them with those who are deprived of those blessings.
The love of the neighbor and care for the needy are the antidotes to the “sin of being rich in a poor world” (Mar Osthathios). The Old Testament Law and the prophets bear testimony to the divine mandate to care for the needy, the poor, the widow and the orphan in the early Jewish society. The book of Ruth bears testimony to this when the widow is allowed to glean in Boaz’s field.
The early Church was a model when everyone shared their resources and helped the needy. Referring to the last judgement, Jesus makes it clear that whoever has done something to the least of the needy has done that for the Lord (Matthew 25: 31-46). Remembering and serving the poor and the needy in our neighborhood is the way to find God and serve God’s purposes in the world. Only a shared sense of moral obligations will help alleviate the struggles of the poor.
Key Verse: “… you shall leave them for the poor and the alien; I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 19: 10b)
Devotion:
This passage is part of the ‘Holiness Code’ in the book of Leviticus with instructions to the community to keep holiness as a fitting response to the Lord their God who is holy. The well-known ethical mandate is loud and clear: “…but love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19: 18b). The neighbor is the poor and the marginalized ‘other’ in society, meaning any fellow human. This entails not just refraining from hurt but to ensure the well-being of the ‘other.’
At a closer look, the passage reveals the prohibitions, the commandments, and a few admonitions as an expanded version of the Ten Commandments. One should take guard against transgressions on the neighbor, but again, take care and protect the vulnerable. This is very much integral to one’s obligations towards God and the other. Mahatma Gandhi’s aphorism, “The world has enough for everyone’s needs and not for everyone’s greed,” has ecological implications. It follows that it is the ethical responsibility of those who are blessed with enough resources, to share them with those who are deprived of those blessings.
The love of the neighbor and care for the needy are the antidotes to the “sin of being rich in a poor world” (Mar Osthathios). The Old Testament Law and the prophets bear testimony to the divine mandate to care for the needy, the poor, the widow and the orphan in the early Jewish society. The book of Ruth bears testimony to this when the widow is allowed to glean in Boaz’s field.
The early Church was a model when everyone shared their resources and helped the needy. Referring to the last judgement, Jesus makes it clear that whoever has done something to the least of the needy has done that for the Lord (Matthew 25: 31-46). Remembering and serving the poor and the needy in our neighborhood is the way to find God and serve God’s purposes in the world. Only a shared sense of moral obligations will help alleviate the struggles of the poor.
Prayer
Gracious God, we admit that we are sinful in a rich world where we fail to meet the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. Help us realize that it is our responsibility to share the blessings that we received from God with our neighbors. Teach us fresh lessons of stewardship and our moral obligations.
Thought for the Day
The imperative ethical question is: Why does the church fail in remembering the needy among its neighbors today? Let us not forget: We are blessed so that the others will be blessed.
Ms. Irene Miriam Isaac
Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston
Gracious God, we admit that we are sinful in a rich world where we fail to meet the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. Help us realize that it is our responsibility to share the blessings that we received from God with our neighbors. Teach us fresh lessons of stewardship and our moral obligations.
Thought for the Day
The imperative ethical question is: Why does the church fail in remembering the needy among its neighbors today? Let us not forget: We are blessed so that the others will be blessed.
Ms. Irene Miriam Isaac
Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston