“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times. Psalm 12:5-6

It’s important to remember that the Old Testament (and its authors) spoke very clearly about three groups of people: the poor, the widows, and the aliens (foreigners) in your midst.

The most obvious for those in the West to neglect is the poor because we are so wealthy. We think that because we have enough, everybody has enough. To compound that is the notion that the government has done far more than its fair share of helping the poor. Unfortunately both excuses miss the point completely.

In every city in America the poor exist. We don’t always see them but they exist. If your city has a Rescue Mission, then the poor and homeless live in your city. The city I live in only has 40,000 people, and we have a Rescue Mission.

Consider spending a few hours every month helping out at your local shelter or rescue mission. It will change the way you view the poor.