September 8: POOR

See it:

However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, He will richly bless you…. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done. Deuteronomy 15:4, Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)

Obey it:

Today we can learn two lessons:
1. Though you cannot help all the poor, you can begin by helping one. This story encapsulates what I mean: One morning as I walked along the seashore, I saw a young man who would bend down, then straighten up, over and over again. As I drew closer, I could see he wasn’t dancing, but was searching among the debris that the night tide had brought in. He would bend down, pick up a starfish, and throw it back into the sea. I asked him what he was doing. “The tide brought these creatures up, onto the beach, and now they can’t get back alone,” the young man replied. “When the sun comes up, they’ll die, unless they are returned to the ocean.” I looked out over the vast expanse of the beach. An incalculable number of starfish covered the sand. “But there are more starfish on the beach than you can possibly save before daybreak. Surely you don’t expect to make a difference here,” I replied. The young man paused, as if meditating on what I had said, then he bent down again, picked up a starfish, and threw it as far out into the water as he could. Then he said, “I just made a difference for that one.”
2. Christians need to focus on helping the poor. Rob Graham said, “If you do not know the poor, or are not known by the poor, you have a crisis at the center of your Christianity. To know and to be known by the poor is essential.”

Share it:
1. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
2. Build a home with Habitat for Humanity.
3. Give a donation to ADRA or Compassion International.

My prayer today:
Lord, there are poor people in my community that need you and need me. Help me bring your love to their lives today. Amen.

Season of Service