Today Daily Devotional

“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”

— Luke 1:53

Mary’s song speaks of a great reversal and disruption! The proud are brought low, and the humble poor are lifted up. Hungry folks are filled, and the rich are emptied. Does that scare you?

Some people have wondered, Does this mean that God has favorites? Does God love the poor more than the rich? God loves everyone, right?

God makes clear that he loves the poor and is deeply concerned about them. Hundreds of Scripture passages testify to God’s concern for the poor and oppressed and his intentions to uphold their cause.

Actually, God loves both the poor and the rich—but not because they are poor or rich. God loves them because they are his children and he wants everyone to flourish.

God wants the poor to be able to live into the fullness of their identity and vocation. He focuses on them like a fire­fighter on a burning house. God promises to help the poor and relieve their suffering.

God calls the rich to the fullness of their humanity too. He warns them against the dangers of greed, the temptations of excessive wealth, and the sins of ignoring or abusing the poor. These vices interfere with discipleship and contribute to poverty. These warnings are expressions of grace.

God loves all of us and calls us to live in obedience to his ­sovereign rule. That’s how we get to shalom.

God, thank you for your care and provisions, and give us the grace to live like Jesus, who became poor for the sake of us all. Amen.

I know my transgressions. . . .

— Psalm 51:3

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, everyone became more aware of the meaning of exposure. Exposure to the deadly virus was bad, something to be avoided. People didn’t want to be exposed.

But this virus turned out to be not only something we could be exposed to, but also something we could be exposed by. COVID-19 has exposed some troubling realities about our world that tended to be overlooked before. For example, excessive numbers of infections and deaths occurred in long-term care facilities, not just because elderly residents were more susceptible but also because “essential” staff, often ethnic minority workers, were underpaid and needed more than one job, making them more likely to spread the virus. Ethnic minorities also tend to have higher mortality rates because they have limited access to medical assistance. And from a more global view, wealthy nations have a surplus of vaccines while low-income nations have to deal with limited availability of vaccines. In these ways, some of our shortcomings and misplaced priorities in society and in global concerns have been exposed.

Biblically speaking, exposure can be a good thing, though, because it makes clear that we need to seek God’s mercy, to repent, receive forgiveness, and be restored. That’s good news in rough packaging!

O God, we are constantly exposed before you. Help us all to learn from reality checks like the pandemic so that by your grace we can be renewed. In Christ, Amen.

“Lord, when did we see you hungry . . . ?”

— Matthew 25:37, 44

Jesus’ parable about sheep and goats teaches us that he is present among the poor, sick, imprisoned, strangers, outcasts, and others who may be disadvantaged. He identifies with these people so closely that an act of kindness done to them is one done to him. And the “reward” for caring for these people is to be welcomed into the kingdom of God.

A wonderful feature of this parable is the absolute surprise of the sheep when they hear the good news of their welcome. They don’t expect it. When the King tells them that by caring for these people they have fed, clothed, and visited him, they are astonished. When did we see you hungry or naked or thirsty? In other words, we only saw other humans in need and were happy to serve them simply because they were human, not because we thought it would bring us any reward. We did it because it was the right thing to do.

The goats, on the other hand, are equally surprised. They hear that they will not receive their inheritance because they neglected the people in need. Their response suggests that because they did not see the King among those people, the poor and others in need were not worthy of their care and ­attention.

Blessed are all who bless the poor and outcast and all others in need with kindness, food, clothing, and more without expecting to be rewarded.

Lord, forgive me if I withhold acts of mercy and kindness because I think people are undeserving. Guide me to show your love and generosity. Amen.

“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. . . .”

— Matthew 25:35

The Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote a story about Martin the cobbler.

One evening Martin hears the Lord speak to him, saying that he will come to Martin’s shop the next day. Martin is filled with expectation, and as the day goes by, he watches and waits anxiously. While he is waiting for the Lord, he notices an old soldier suffering from the cold and invites him in to share a cup of tea. Soon a struggling young mother comes by, and he fits her shoeless child with a warm pair of boots and gives her some coins for food. He defends a poor young boy caught trying to steal an apple.

By the day’s end, he is disappointed that he has not yet met the Lord. But then a voice comes to him, saying, “Martin, did you not recognize me?” And then he sees the soldier and the mother and boy, and Martin understands: Jesus has appeared to him through the encounters with people he has helped throughout the day.

Tolstoy’s story is inspired by his reading of Matthew 25. Here we learn that God identifies with the poor so completely that an act of kindness done to them is considered by God to be an act of kindness done to him. When we remember that each person is a child of God bearing God’s image, we too will recognize Jesus in the faces and lives of the people we meet.

Lord, you have made yourself visible to me in the faces of friends and strangers alike. Forgive me when I am too short-sighted to notice, and help me to keep my eyes open. Amen.

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

— Isaiah 1:17

Poverty is often caused by injustice. While justice occurs where relationships are “just right,” injustice happens when relationships are broken. Injustice includes the misuse of power, exploitation of the weak, denial of basic rights, valuing money more than people, and self-indulgence in the face of human suffering. It can take many forms. It can be personal or societal.

One thing we know for sure is that God hates injustice because it harms his children, whom he loves. Through the prophet Isaiah, God shows that even our best worship can be distasteful to him if we do not practice justice. Injustice makes our religious practices unacceptable to God. Prayers, songs, lavish worship services—they are all meaningless if we do not do justice.

The role of prophets was to call people back to faithful living, to repent of their unjust practices, to embrace justice as a lifestyle. Isaiah talks about seeking justice, defending the oppressed, and speaking up for the fatherless and the widow, and in chapter 58 he adds that we should share our food with the hungry, provide shelter to the poor wanderer, and more. The prophet Micah says we should “act justly,” “love mercy,” and “walk humbly” with God (Micah 6:8).

The good news is that God accepts our repentance and transforms us to do justice out of joyful service to him.

God, we know that you want us to be just. By your grace, restore and renew us to seek justice for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

“Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?”

— Luke 18:7

In the Bible widows represent the most vulnerable members of society. In Jesus’ parable here, the widow is in need because people in power do not care about her need for justice. In terms of our “fish proverb,” she does not need a “fish”; nor does she need to be taught “how to fish.” She is being denied her rights, and she is deprived of an “opportunity to fish.”

We may sometimes imagine that people are poor because of some inadequacy on their part. Maybe we think they don’t work hard enough, or they aren’t sufficiently moti­vated. But that would probably be a mistake. Most poor people I’ve encountered work harder than I’ve ever worked and are highly motivated. Their poverty is a consequence of injustice. In other words, someone has stolen their “fishing gear” or blocked access to their “fishing pond.” People in such circumstances don’t need a “fish” or a “fishing lesson”; they need justice.

Justice in this sense means empowerment, access, participation in decision making, respect for human rights, and advocacy. Biblical justice is about healing relationships that are broken and twisted, whether they are personal and local, or global and systemic.

God has promised to bring about justice for those who cry out to him. Should we cry out on their behalf?

Dear God, help me to see what justice should look like in my life and community. Make me an instrument of your shalom. Amen.

“Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what’s left.”

— 2 Kings 4:7

The widow’s dilemma can be as real today as it was in Elisha’s time. She faced poverty and exploitation, hopelessness and despair. Notice that Elisha responded to this crisis by engaging her in finding a sustainable income to support herself and her sons.

Yesterday we affirmed the importance of meeting immediate needs. But we also know that bigger problems often call for more sustainable solutions.

Elisha’s response to the widow respects her abilities, invites her participation, engages her neighbors, and transforms her “nothing but a little oil” into a cottage industry to support her family.

While bandages have their uses, new skills, knowledge, and opportunities are needed to help people find new beginnings and pathways out of poverty.

I thank God for the many organizations and people who are “teaching people to fish” by teaching sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and health care, literacy and numeracy skills, leadership and human rights—and who do all that as an expression of God’s love and his desire for abundant life for all people.

Have you considered supporting such important work?

Dear God, the suffering of the poor who bear your image is an affront to you. You long for their renewal and flourishing. Use me as you will to help change the story in their lives. In Christ, Amen.

“He went to him and bandaged his wounds. . . .”

— Luke 10:34

A well-known proverb helps us think about different ways to respond to poverty: “Give a person a fish, and they will eat for a day. Teach them how to fish, and they will eat for a lifetime.” Both approaches can be appropriate, depending on the circumstances and whether they involve short-term or long-term needs.

In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus illustrates the “give a fish” model. The Samari­tan responds compassionately and generously to the immediate needs of the wounded traveler. He bandages the man’s wounds and doesn’t concern himself, for now, with whether the roadway should have better security!

Sometimes a bandage is what is needed. When winter temperatures in our city plunge far below freezing and homeless shelters beg for mittens and socks, that’s a need calling for an immediate solution. Similarly, when a cyclone tears up a community in Bangladesh and people are left homeless and without food and water, short-term relief is vital for saving lives.

I thank God for the generosity of people everywhere who respond to needs that arise from natural disasters. And yet bandages, while necessary, are temporary. Compassion for the poor and a commitment to overcome poverty can require more.

Lord, like the Samaritan, we long to show love to our neighbors in need. Help us to be generous and wise in the opportunities you present to us. In Christ, Amen.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. . . .”

— Matthew 19:14

There’s a story about a missionary who, with his wife and children, were under house arrest in China. Then soldiers came one day and said, “You can return to America, and you can bring 200 pounds.”

They got out a scale and started weighing items to bring: books, a vase, a new typewriter. What about this? And that? They weighed and calculated, and finally they had exactly 200 pounds of luggage.

One of the soldiers asked, “Are you ready? Did you weigh every­thing?”

“Yes.”

“You weighed the kids?”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Weigh the kids.”

And quickly all of the stuff they had thought was important became trash.

More than a billion of the poorest people in the world today are children. That’s a sad statistic. And 20 percent of them live in so-called “developed” nations. Child poverty means lack of nutrition, vulnerability, inadequate shelter, poor health, and more. It results from many factors—lack of educational oppor­tunities, restrictive social norms, and more. The needs of children are often overlooked when political and economic decisions are made.

Jesus loves children. He rebuked his disciples when they tried to dismiss children who were brought to him. When we “weigh the kids” by taking seriously their needs and concerns, we honor them, and we honor Jesus too.

Jesus, teach us to be more like children, and more like you. Amen.

Mary . . . sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he said.

— Luke 10:39

The culture that Mary and Martha lived in did not affirm a woman’s right to learn—­especially not from a rabbi and especially not when food had to be prepared!

But that not did not resonate with Jesus. He chided Martha and said that Mary had made the better choice. With these words and by welcoming Mary into the learning circle, Jesus broke a cultural norm, affirming the right of a woman to learn and thereby opening doors socially and economically for them as well.

There is much evidence that education is the most important thing that can help lift people out of poverty. Learning to read and write, to count, to think critically, and to acquire skills that advance employment—all of these are empowering keys that open doors to a better future.

In many communities around the world, the ones least likely to receive a life-building education are girls. More than 130 million school-age girls are not in school. That makes them more vulnerable to exploitation, limits their economic advancement, and violates their rights. That is to everyone’s loss.

But thanks to a massive global effort, change is happening. Thank God that we can support organizations committed to removing barriers and creating safe spaces for girls to learn and grow in.

Jesus, your inclusion and empowering of people is inspiring. May women and girls everywhere receive education toward a better future, and may they learn about you, the greatest teacher. Amen.