Double Standards

(Pro 31:20 KJV)  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

If you are like me you don’t have enough money to do all the things you want to get done.  God does not promise us enough to do what we want.  His promises tend to focus on our needs.  We don’t like that but God is not taking a poll.  We have a surplus.  If you don’t believe that then take a walk through your home.  How many TV’s do you have?  Do you have internet and/or cable?  Are there brand name groceries on your shelves?  Do you have a side by side refrigerator?  Do you have two cars?  You can see where this is going.

This verse reminds me that I need to be finding ways to share with people who need help.  Since there are more people needing a hand than I have hands, God wisely gives us some criteria for narrowing down the scope.  They must be “poor” (6041) and they must be “needy” (34).  We don’t see the word “both” here so there is some flexibility but I think they are good measurements.  Many people who are poor are not needy.  They have food on the table and a roof over their heads.  They are good stewards of what they have and God honors that.  Some people are needy but not poor but you are not going to be much help to people who have not learned to manage what they have.

So?  Keep your eyes open.  There will be people to help.  Two things you need to do.  First, you need to soften your heart so that you can be sensitive to need.  Second, you need to sharpen your mind so that your thinking process will help you tell a real emergency from simple lack of planning.