March 30 - God’s Social Program
Solving the social problem of poverty is the concern of every government in the world. Even political systems were devised to do just that. Socialist systems aim at the equal distribution of wealth while capitalist systems boost up the supply of wealth in order to help the poor and needy with a good economy. One is from the bottom up and the other is from the top down. We can say that, to date, none of these systems are working perfectly. You may wonder what God has to say about this.
God’s social program is based on who the people are since those involved must be children of God. They are His sons and daughters, a people holy to God, chosen for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. God’s program works only among His own people, those who are under His rule and command. Such program would not work if the people were not God’s people. As God’s people, they are to obey God’s laws and principles. Democracy is replaced by theocracy, not the rule of the people by the people but the absolute rule of God, the Creator. He can tell His people what to eat and what not to eat; how much and how often they give their tithes; and how they are going to observe the Sabbatical year. Without the rule of God in people’s lives, this program will not work.
The goal of this program is that there will be no poor among them, a total and complete eradication of poverty. This is done by everyone strictly obeying the voice of the Lord and careful to do all His commandments. As a result, the Lord is going to bless them and then they may freely give to the poor, including the Levites, the widows, the fatherless and the sojourners. If a nation does that, God’s blessing will flow down. They shall lend to many nations but shall not borrow out of need. Then that nation shall rule over many nations, but they shall not be ruled over.
The national social program begins with the individual. If everyone takes care of their own kinsman in need, open their hands to him and lend sufficiently for his needs. When one does that, not grudgingly but willingly, the Lord will bless that individual. If not, the cry of the needy may rouse the Lord to action and His judgment, not blessing, will come. If one gives freely, the Lord will bless him even more in all his work and all that he undertakes. If all the citizens of that kingdom do that, the whole nation will be blessed and there will be no poor among them.
God is waiting to bless you. Are you in a bless-able position? Do you realize that you are stopping God’s blessing from coming to you because you do not give to the poor and the needy? The poor in the community is not just your obligation but also your opportunity to be blessed. Begin to get God’s blessing now.
Ps 45:10-17 Deut 13:1-15:23 Luke 8:40-9:6 Prov 12:5-7