I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. – Psalm 37:25
Many have wondered if God is good, why are there so many starving children in the world? In truth, God has given enough food on this earth to feed every person. Some of the responsibility for sustenance lies with God’s people. In the Bible, the Lord repeatedly exhorts His people to help the poor.
However, there are many reasons why the poor are poor, and sometimes the solution is deeper than simply giving food or money. Programs can offer microloans to start businesses or buy chickens or goats to help the poor build sustainable incomes. The old saying, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you can feed him for a lifetime,” holds true. Also, various lifestyles, such as drug addiction, resulting in great hardships for the entire family. Around the world, there are different levels of problems that require a variety of solutions.
You need not throw your hands up in despair at worldwide poverty. Ask God for wisdom to do your part. Refer to and think about the following scriptures, including the verse following today’s, “They are always generous and lend freely: their children will be a blessing” (Psalm 37:26)—Leviticus 19:9-10, 1 John 3:17-18, Luke 3:11, James 2:15-18, Proverbs 19:17.
As you meditate on those verses, ask God for creative ideas to help those who are desperate for help. Pray that the people would return to the Lord to receive His blessings so that their needs will be met and they may benefit the whole world. Ask that His people will show more love and compassion to the poor.
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