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Lifting the Needy
AN AMAZING FACT: According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, about 925 million people in the world are undernourished—that’s one in seven. Poor nutrition kills at least 5,000,000 children every year.
Starvation is only one of the heart-wrenching problems that affect the poor and the needy. Clean drinking water and proper medical care are two more critical needs, and there are many others.
Psalm 113 says that God “raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes” (vs. 7, 8). This shows the great value God places on the poor. The Bible says, “Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5). The people who suffer in poverty are as important to God as the rulers of the nations. They are just as surely His children.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sad statistics, even to be stunned into inaction. After all, what can one person do against such widespread tragedy and desperation? The truth is we can all do something, at least in some small way, to alleviate the suffering in the world.
Love for God obligates us to act. As ambassadors for Christ, we must continue His work of lifting up the needy with our love.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
- Psalms 113:5-8
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