People who have read the Old Testament with some diligence are aware that care for the poor was a mainstay of Old Covenant teaching. It wasn't always done, or done well, but the Law and the Prophets are all consistent about it. Even the Proverbs balance the ant and grasshopper saying with admonitions to care for the weak and powerless.
So, given the heritage that Jesus was born into, I wonder if he copped out. He said, almost dismissively, "The poor you will have with you always." I have heard hundreds of Christians and preachers quote his words to suggest that we don't have to worry very much, if at all, about solving the problem of the poor.
Jesus didn't leave a blueprint, a plan, or a generation-spanning protocol. Why not?
What do you think? He did care for the outcasts of his society. He lived in the heritage of care for the poor. What do you think? Did Jesus cop out?
Leave a comment and let us know.
1 comment:
Perhaps Jesus meant for us to try and love everyone equally, regardless of status... In this sense, maybe the rich tend to experience poverty of spirit as much or more than the poor.
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