Comments on: Give Up On Serving the Poor?

By: Nate Ernsberger

Nate Ernsberger — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:33:52 +0000

It’s not about serving the poor, doing something to make someone better (because we are in a better place they are, etc…) – it’s about being in relationship! Here’s a great book to help with this perspective – “Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life: Rethinking Ministry to the Poor” by Robert Lupton. Excellent Read.

By: Vicki Small

Vicki Small — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:05:17 +0000

Jesus said, “In as much as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you’ve done it unto me.” When we think we are “being [or bringing] Jesus” to the poor and the needy, we find that they are, in fact, being Jesus to us. Isn’t this what so many of us have found, when we’ve traveled with Compassion?

Thanks for the reminder, Becky!

By: Claudio Oliver

Claudio Oliver — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:21:06 +0000

Hi Becky
Thanks for be so nice on commenting my little article. I found your quote by accident, but I would like to say it was a nice accident.
ONce somebody coud be interested in add some visual complement to that article, I would , humbly, invite you to watch a video where I speak (even with my broken and macarronic English) in that perspective about “What is poverty”. The video can be seen at The Work of the People Website http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/index.php?ct=store.details&pid=V00498, I hope you will find it useful in some ways. If not, it is just to say again, thanks for being so kind.

By: Jill Foley

Jill Foley — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:27:55 +0000

Thank you for bringing this to our attention…definitely worth my time. I will be reading it every day for a couple days to really let it soak in.

By: Barbara M.

Barbara M. — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:43:22 +0000

Becky, Thank you for bringing this article to our attention. It is well worth reading and contemplating.

By: Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:58:43 +0000

He made some interestng points, but if I was hungry it wouldn’t matter much to me if people served top down, bottom up, or middle through as long as I got some food. It’s hard to see what someone is really saying from writing b/c seeing the person changes how I would view what he is saying. Like in II Samuel 23:8-23 talking about David’s Mighty Men killing hundreds of men on their own. It sounds so amazing but if I witnessed it I know the impact would be different. thanks for sharing it was good to read!

By: Cheryl J

Cheryl J — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:55:25 +0000

I love this article. How well it brings our life and service into perspective. I often wonder at having the opportunity to be born in this country with all of the blessings that affords while others are born into seemingly hopeless situations. I have recently been confronted with the fact that I often don’t really “see” others who are in need. I really like how this points out that we are to see “us” in those God calls us to bless.

By: Brittany

Brittany — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:49:51 +0000

Very convicting post!!

This struck me deeply:

“Whoever serves out of the sense of having something to offer, serves from the top down.”

THAT was a great reminder!

When I first became a Christian, I thought, “I (emphasis on the I) am going to help the needy.” As time went on, I realized that I was not the one doing anything…but instead God through me.