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Life on earth is unpredictable. Times and seasons change naturally. A rich person today may become a poor person tomorrow and a poor person today may become a rich person tomorrow.
Thus, one important ministry churches of Christ need to pay greater attention to, in this generation, is the ministry of giving to the orphans, the needy and the poor, especially those in the household of God.
Throughout the Bible, church leaders are reminded about God’s concern for the underprivileged in society, particularly His children in Christ Jesus. Giving to the poor is tantamount to giving to the Lord.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed” (Proverbs 19:17).
Whenever we gather together for church services, we must remember to make some provisions for the young orphans, the aged widows and widowers, the needy and the poor. They are materially disadvantaged.
The earliest Church understood giving as an important ministry aimed at meeting the needs of the vulnerable believers among them. It was a unique service they proactively embraced to supply the needs of the saints.
“For the ministry of this service (giving) is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God” (2 Corinthians 9:12, emphasis mine).
It is the Lord Jesus who through His teachings invites us to appreciate and understand the true and practical meaning of serving God in the context of giving. He says the good we do for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the prisoner we do for Him.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? ’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:35-40).
The people listed above are undoubtedly vulnerable and disadvantaged in society. They are unable to provide for themselves certain basic necessities of life such as food, water, shelter, clothing, interaction and encouragement.
Church administrators must plan to empathetically supply these needs to address the plight of these people, beginning from their churches to the larger society. We read about the earliest Church gladly doing this ministry.
“There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles ‘feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:34-35).
“Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
At the heart of the ministry of giving to the needy and the poor are love, compassion and justice. God expects believers who are rich to give generously and lead this ministry (Acts 4:34-35).
Help is a great investment. Givers receive back in good measure the things they freely and willingly give to put smiles on the faces of others (Luke 6:38).
Thus, Paul, the apostle, was determined to make giving to the poor a priority. He was not only poised for preaching the crucified Christ but also eager to remember the poor.
This is something that was discussed between him and James, Peter and John when he visited them in Jerusalem to validate the gospel he was preaching to the Gentiles (See Galatians Chapter 2).
“Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do” (Galatians 2:10).
Evidence abounds that all the apostles of Christ Jesus in the first-century saw giving to the poor as an important service in the Church. In one of his letters, John indicates that giving to the poor is an expression of God’s love from the heart.
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18).
It is abundantly clear that giving to orphan, needy and poor church members and even unbelievers is a ministry commanded in the Bible for us to do. And we should be committed to it for the glory of God.
By James Quansah
