When Instructing Us to Feed the Poor, Bible Authors Call on Us to Be Compassionate and Generous. What Guidance Does the Bible Give Us on How to Do This?
The Bible contains a lot of guidance on how to help and feed the poor with compassion.
Here are some instances in the Bible where we’re called to feed the poor:
“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” – James 2:15-16
“Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor” – Proverbs 22:9
“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin” – Psalm 146:5-9
When guiding us to feed the poor, Bible writers encourage us to support “the least of these.”
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” – Matthew 25:40
For many years, GFA World has focused on ending malnutrition and implementing community-wide solutions against poverty through our child sponsorship program. This not only meets a large need for a hungry child, but it also strengthens families and communities.
We also provide nutritional assistance for others, including our ministry for leprosy patients called Reaching Friends Ministry. Over 1,226 leprosy colonies in Asia are supported through this important ministry.
In Asia, widows are often thought of as cursed and are rejected by neighbors and family members. A woman suddenly becomes alone and is instantly expected to be the sole provider for all her children. One of the most effective ways to help widows is to train them in an income-generating skill like tailoring. At GFA, our widows’ ministry provides compassion, comfort and tangible help to widows.
