Reading

• Num. 5:5-10
• Ex. 22:9, 7-8, 10-17; 21:33-34; 22:6, 5; 21:28-32, 35-36
• Lev. 24:18
• Deut. 22:8; 24:14-15
• Lev. 25:44-46
• Deut. 23:15-16; 15:12-18
• Ex. 21:1-11
• Deut. 23:19-20
• Ex. 22:25-27
• Deut. 24:6, 10-11; 15:1-11
• Lev. 19:12
• Num. 30:1-16
• Lev. 19:11, 35-37
• Deut. 25:13-16; 21:15-17; 25:5-10
• Num. 27:1-11; 36:1-13

Devotional

GOD told Moses:

If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. … You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’
(Deut. 15:7-11 NKJV)

GOD cares about every person. Some people are rich, others are poor. Most are somewhere in between. It’s been that way for almost all of human history. GOD said it will be that way for the remainder of human existence on earth. Although GOD allows them to be poor, He cares deeply for the poor person and is compassionate toward their struggles and needs.

GOD gave the commands we just read to help provide protection for the poor against any oppression of their fellow Israelites. GOD expected the Israelite to help his brother or sister, especially when they were poor. Today GOD expects us to do the same thing. Paul wrote to the Christians of Galatia:

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
(Gal. 6:9-10 NKJV)

What we do—the way we treat people—matters. Jesus taught those in the first century that their actions would determine their eternal destiny, saying:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ … ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ …

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ … ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
(Matt. 25:31-46 NKJV)

Let’s be people who love one another and help the poor every chance we have.