Haiti welcomed me with a warm kiss. I was met by one of my Haitian friend’s brother and friends. I made the familiar drive to Pierre Payen where I then met my friend Paul. I have learned that I must be ready for the unexpected and since I have gotten to Haiti that has been what I have gotten. My contact and person I was to be staying with has left here because of illness leaving me here with three others, charley, Donnie, and his sister with many others who come and go. Donny is the only one who speaks English and I am grateful that he does. As if that was not enough unexpected I am now left with people that were dependent on the man that is in charge of the place, who had to leave, to live as well. This means the food that I buy is feeding not only me but also several others. Money is tight and I am not sure how I will make it the next month and a half with what I have, and its only been a few days. But I trust and pray to the Lord for his guidance and help. I have clean drinking water which is good and I have plenty of food after our trip to Saint Mark today the 18th. My food had been prepared by my Haitian friends which is also good and very authentic. So far my stomach is doing well but I do fear getting sick something I am expecting to happen before I leave but again I have been praying for protection and I trust God. The heat here is not so bad but the humidity is ruthless. I am constantly sweating and yesterday after playing soccer for a long time and sweating buckets I felt very weak. And again today after returning from Saint Mark I was feeling weak but I have made myself drink a lot today and the electrolyte packets I believe have helped. After pumping myself full of fluids I felt much better I am still learning the ropes as you can see and my body is hating me for it already but I am learning and beginning to understand. I have the ocean out my back yard which means I get to cool off regularly which is very nice. The view is like one off of a post card. Because my contact is not here I do not have much I am doing right now. I talked with a doctor in the town just south of here who is American and is doing some amazing things a bit the other day and I believe I will help him every once in a while. Tonight after dinner I also went to visit Annie’s Orphanage I wanted to see the kids and I as great to see them. They are so well mannered and starving for attention and since I am alone this time I am left trying to feed them all with it. I’m not complaining I love each and every one of the kids they are so beautiful and are full of joy. Times are tough right now for me I feel stress and frustration along with homesickness. The stress is about money, frustration because my contact is gone and I don’t know what to do, and homesickness I don’t know where it came from. I don’t get homesick but I am scared because of the money and the weight of taking care of my new friends and myself and my health. I am looking to God that’s all I can do. One thing is for sure my unstable relationship with God is growing. I see the faith and hope from my Haitian friends and the lack of such in my own life. This mixed with the weight around me forces me to seek our almighty God. I must go now I need to get some sleep because the mornings are early may God bless you all. Please keep me in your prayers and if you can support me financially let me know through email or facebook Shanemcneeley@gmail.com and send it to 2132 strawtown pike Peru Indiana 46970. Peace, Love, and all Glory to God!!!
Today is a new Day! and there are places to help on the horizon!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
I AM SCARED
This is what happends when you let your mind onto paper. Its fresh, real, raw, and straight off the cusp but it was my fellings at this moment. oh, by the way, this was me freaking out but im better now.
I am so broken and confused seemingly going through the motions of day to day life and now that I am finally free, to that place that I knew would one day come, that time when I had the world at my finger tips and I would set myself free, well that time is now. It has come. It is right in front of me. I have opened the screen door to the house that has for so long kept me bound and I look out to the field, with the wind making waves in the tall grass and I don't know what to do. I have lost all sense of direction and I stand there anxious but fearful.
I stand there looking toward a direction that is no different from the others. It could be west or north but I wouldn't know the difference if it was east or south, but it matters. The direction matters because each direction unleashes something different. So I guess it makes sense to just go for it, and take what ever comes my way. Right? Because until I know where I am, how will I ever know where im going?
The clock tics on and life moves around me not stopping to wait for me. there is no waiting. My heart, mind and soul long for something more something significant something special but all I have to go on is chance. It sounds silly, because what do I have to lose? It all sounds like nonsense but I feel it. I feel it all. Bottom line, im not afraid to say.....
I
long for something more something beyond what is in front of me and deeper than what I have ever learned or been shown. I am burdened with sorrow but I don't know why. Or, maybe I do. Its hard to tell when you are all alone and left with seemingly nothing. I hate how I feel, and my image of myself is less than satisfactory. I feel alone in this world, and I have for some time now. I have masked it with the laughter of people around me and by my rash whims of love and desire. But, its now that I am left alone with myself and left alone with my thoughts that I see that I am lost. Im lost in my own self, lost in this world that engulfs my every being. It clear...im lost. Its a scary thing to be all alone, and lost. Not knowing whats around the corner or on the other side of the bend. Not knowing who you are or what you are living for seems to be even worse. Its all lost. I long for something more. I long for purpose, I long for life, I long for happiness, I long for love, and I long to never be alone. I am so broken and confused seemingly going through the motions of day to day life and now that I am finally free, to that place that I knew would one day come, that time when I had the world at my finger tips and I would set myself free, well that time is now. It has come. It is right in front of me. I have opened the screen door to the house that has for so long kept me bound and I look out to the field, with the wind making waves in the tall grass and I don't know what to do. I have lost all sense of direction and I stand there anxious but fearful.
I stand there looking toward a direction that is no different from the others. It could be west or north but I wouldn't know the difference if it was east or south, but it matters. The direction matters because each direction unleashes something different. So I guess it makes sense to just go for it, and take what ever comes my way. Right? Because until I know where I am, how will I ever know where im going?
The clock tics on and life moves around me not stopping to wait for me. there is no waiting. My heart, mind and soul long for something more something significant something special but all I have to go on is chance. It sounds silly, because what do I have to lose? It all sounds like nonsense but I feel it. I feel it all. Bottom line, im not afraid to say.....
AM SCARED!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Life In and After Haiti
I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew to believe is was what I had heard and saw from different the media sources that piled up around me. I knew that this was a time of need and that God had a plan, a plan that would soon involve me. We made our way through the many discouraging obstacles that laid in our path and finally stepped foot into a world totally different from our own. We made our way through the pole barn that they called customs and baggage claims to reach the large crowd that stood desperately wanting to help any of us “rich people” with our bags simply to make a buck or two. It was at this moment that we knew without a shadow of a doubt that we were in Haiti.
The trip was full of unknowns and speculations about what would seen and experienced. With many ideas cycling through our minds it was clear that until we saw, experienced, and came face to face with the effects of the earthquake and life as it is now and before the devastation in Haiti, we would never be able to grasp the magnitude of the situation in this country. We were only there for a week but this week was meant to challenge every part of who we were. We called home a hot and humid building and laid our head to rest at night on foam mattress within a compound in the town of Pierre Payen. At first there were not huge life changing tasks on the path in front of us and we learned to find peace in the small and mundane tasks that we were directed to complete. Tasks such as fixing a ceiling in our room and painting the walls of a couple offices. Through the mundane we still were able to find peace in knowing that we were loosening the load of others and furthering the kingdom of God even if it was in the most minuet way. But our work did not stop at painting and repairing nor were we about to stop there. After the normal 8:30am to 5:00pm days at the compound we entered into relationship with the Haitian people and what a joy that was. We visited orphanages and played with the kids, we played soccer and goofed around with the kids on the street and around our compound, and eventually handed out rice and assisted in well repairs throughout tent cities and different parts of Port-au-prince. Even though our languages did not mix and we learned a limited vocabulary such as, “Hello, how are you” “what’s your name” and a few simple words like “thank you” and “you’re welcome” in their native language Creole, we were able to communicate and find pleasure in the things that are universal. It was beautiful to see and experience the simple things in life that we so often take for granted like a smile, a hug, and a laugh that break down the walls that cage us in. Although it was very frustrating not being able to communicate to our new friends, we knew simply by the look in their eyes how they felt and I think that they could see it in our eyes as well. 
Life in Haiti is different than ours in the United States of America. With Haiti being the poorest country in the western hemisphere you can imagine that we in America have absolutely no clue what life there is like for the Haitian people, not even myself after being there can truly fathom the life of a Haitian. Even with minimal resources and with all the odds staked against the people they persevere, exemplifying resiliency like none I have seen. The Haitian people work hard at making food, retrieving water, taking care of their children, and trying to make ends meat in any way they can, which was beautiful and heart wrenching at the same time.
Our time was mostly spent in and around Pierre Payen, which suffered very minimal damage from the earthquake, but there were a couple days spent in Port-au-prince. This city has been hit hard, with some buildings pan caked and others with devastating structural damage but the most shocking element is the number of people displaced from their homes, forced to live in makeshift tents or tents supplied from a few groups, and tarp covered huts. These people were in need of food and water proof shelter. Our senses we heightened as we drove through this city. Our eyes were drawn to spaces filled with tents or tarp homes, collapsed buildings and beautiful children and people waving and continuing on in their normal day to day manner much different from our own. Our noses locked onto the smell of burning trash and plastic, food cooking on the side of the street, and different unidentifiable odors that I would just assume leave unidentified. Sounds floated through the air in a screaming manner, horns blasting (from an American view for no reason), kids laughing, playing, and trying to speak to us in Creole, and many people asking for food and handouts from the white people in the back of the truck. Your skin could feel the heat and humidity in the air, with dust sticking to the perspiration that covered your body. And our mouths were dry and our thirst was quenched by different flavored pops or water from a bag. There were few times that our senses were not on active duty, which is another element that made this experience life changing.
It didn’t take long for us to realize that life was different for the Haitian people compared to our own. Nor did it take long to see the resilience and happiness that they had even in the worst of circumstances. Every part of Haiti touched and tore at our hearts transforming our world view causing us to see life in America through new lenses. Now, as I anxiously wait to once again return to the beautiful people and beautiful country of Haiti I can only tell others about my experience and close my eyes and remember the faces gratitude and joy that grip my heart.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Its Not Fair!
As you look at where you are right now, as I look at where I am right now, its seen as clearly not fair. Yes, I am extremely grateful for the comfortable life I live but its not fair. I didn't ask to be born in America, further more I didn't ask to be born by parents who care for me, I didn't even ask to be born into a home with which I eat three meals a day and on to of that am able to receive good education. These are all things that I have taken for granted for too long.
I have taken advantage of the material positions, shelter, bed, and the list could go on for ever. So why me? Why have I Shane McNeeley been given the life I have been given, out of all the billions of people in this world, why me? Now, there is the obvious and true answer that most people at my little christian college would give me and that is that God created me with a purpose and that he is going to use me to further his kingdom..... but that still doesn't make it fair!
Why have I been brought into a life where I eat plentiful and have the ability to eat when ever I want, to go to a water faucet and drink straight from the tap? Of course that's because I live in one of the most developed countries in the world. But its still not fair! Daily I take for granted the education I have received and am still receiving. This goes back to living with parents that love me dearly and desire me to receive higher education and help me fit the bill. But none the less its still NOT FAIR!
This is not the first time these thoughts have crossed my mind but it is now that I have been pressed to write about it. Over the past few years I have been trying to relinquish as many commodities that I can. Even the thought of going to a third world country and leaving most of my positions makes me feel like I'm doing a service to those that don't have what I have but the fact of the matter is, that I am still rich. I cant run away from my wealth because no matter where I go I still have so many people who love and care for me and with a simple phone call or email I could have the ability to be right back in my comfortable life style. I cant hide from it I cant leave it its something I must own. And.... you know what? its not fair!
Like I had said before I am very grateful for what I have, for the people I have in my life, for the support I have from the body of Christ, and for all the comfortable commodities that I have. I just struggle so much and its so hard to look at the rest of the world and see the pain, hurt, and poor that have been flooded with the simple but daunting task to stay alive and make it through the day they have been given.
With that I have a decision to make. That decision deals with the fact that I have been given this opportunity and this life to live, and to make the most of it. Its clear to me that I have been gifted by God and He does have a specific plan for my life, but its my decision to use this life for good or for bad. With that said I cry out for grace, I know that I will fall short many times through out this life and grace will be required. I also want to vow to make the most of this life but not for myself and to lift myself up but for those with whom its not fair. I will not neglect the riches I have nor will I neglect the hurting and poor around the world but utilize the riches I have to help these people, my brothers and sister, that God puts in my life.
I will live my life out loud, even if its not fair!
I have taken advantage of the material positions, shelter, bed, and the list could go on for ever. So why me? Why have I Shane McNeeley been given the life I have been given, out of all the billions of people in this world, why me? Now, there is the obvious and true answer that most people at my little christian college would give me and that is that God created me with a purpose and that he is going to use me to further his kingdom..... but that still doesn't make it fair!
Why have I been brought into a life where I eat plentiful and have the ability to eat when ever I want, to go to a water faucet and drink straight from the tap? Of course that's because I live in one of the most developed countries in the world. But its still not fair! Daily I take for granted the education I have received and am still receiving. This goes back to living with parents that love me dearly and desire me to receive higher education and help me fit the bill. But none the less its still NOT FAIR!
This is not the first time these thoughts have crossed my mind but it is now that I have been pressed to write about it. Over the past few years I have been trying to relinquish as many commodities that I can. Even the thought of going to a third world country and leaving most of my positions makes me feel like I'm doing a service to those that don't have what I have but the fact of the matter is, that I am still rich. I cant run away from my wealth because no matter where I go I still have so many people who love and care for me and with a simple phone call or email I could have the ability to be right back in my comfortable life style. I cant hide from it I cant leave it its something I must own. And.... you know what? its not fair!
Like I had said before I am very grateful for what I have, for the people I have in my life, for the support I have from the body of Christ, and for all the comfortable commodities that I have. I just struggle so much and its so hard to look at the rest of the world and see the pain, hurt, and poor that have been flooded with the simple but daunting task to stay alive and make it through the day they have been given.
With that I have a decision to make. That decision deals with the fact that I have been given this opportunity and this life to live, and to make the most of it. Its clear to me that I have been gifted by God and He does have a specific plan for my life, but its my decision to use this life for good or for bad. With that said I cry out for grace, I know that I will fall short many times through out this life and grace will be required. I also want to vow to make the most of this life but not for myself and to lift myself up but for those with whom its not fair. I will not neglect the riches I have nor will I neglect the hurting and poor around the world but utilize the riches I have to help these people, my brothers and sister, that God puts in my life.
I will live my life out loud, even if its not fair!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Packing, Planning, and Preperation: Haiti Tomorrow
The time has come. It was eight days ago when we received the confirmation and purchased or tickets and so much has happened since then. As we began to prepare and exhaust all our outlets for our quickly arriving trip to Haiti things just seemed to fall into place. We had been working on finding a group to go through for over a month before our spring break and every avenue that we seemed to turn down ended up being blocked. We didn't stop though. We kept looking and searching for a way to go and help the Haitian people the best we could. Although after many of our road blocks we had sort of lost hope we continued to search and here we are now, preparing to leave.
I have been keeping up to date on the situation in Haiti. From the need for tents as the rainy season kisses this date in time, to the aftershock that just took place last night. Its all very real and for us going it will soon become a harsh reality. This reality i look forward to. I don't believe that any of us that have not been there after this devastation can truly fathom the magnitude of the situation, i know i cant. That seems to be a problem with most of our reporting these days. They try to load us with stats and numbers leaving out the personal experiences of the people that are going through the hell. 200,000 people is incomprehendable but personal stories of anguish, hurt, bitterness, and anger from losing sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters digs deep into the soul of any person near or far. My heart and my mind are far removed from this place but soon both will join, and both will for once have a small grasp on the situation.
I said that many things had happened since the confirmation and purchase of the tickets. In the past eight days Joel and Nick have raised around 1,000 dollars for the trip thanks to many in the surrounding community of Bethel College. Half of this money has already purchased antibiotics and other medical supplies that we have been told are needed. You never really think about having to much stuff to take but this is an issue we are running into. Each of us are allowed 1 carry on and 1 checked bag of 50 pounds but as the supplies pour our Bags begin to fill causing us to have to choose between more medical supplies or construction materials that have been asked for. (An issue we are still sorting out)
Tomorrows the day we will depart from Bethel College sometime in the afternoon to allow time for the drive to Detroit Michigan and the cavity search at the airport. Before we go remember us in your prayers. allow God to speak to you not only about us and our trip but for the Haitian people. There is another HUGE thanks in order for a couple people in our Bethel family for their financial support and prayer coverage, much thanks to you. Until next time!
Peace and Love
Shane
I have been keeping up to date on the situation in Haiti. From the need for tents as the rainy season kisses this date in time, to the aftershock that just took place last night. Its all very real and for us going it will soon become a harsh reality. This reality i look forward to. I don't believe that any of us that have not been there after this devastation can truly fathom the magnitude of the situation, i know i cant. That seems to be a problem with most of our reporting these days. They try to load us with stats and numbers leaving out the personal experiences of the people that are going through the hell. 200,000 people is incomprehendable but personal stories of anguish, hurt, bitterness, and anger from losing sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters digs deep into the soul of any person near or far. My heart and my mind are far removed from this place but soon both will join, and both will for once have a small grasp on the situation.
I said that many things had happened since the confirmation and purchase of the tickets. In the past eight days Joel and Nick have raised around 1,000 dollars for the trip thanks to many in the surrounding community of Bethel College. Half of this money has already purchased antibiotics and other medical supplies that we have been told are needed. You never really think about having to much stuff to take but this is an issue we are running into. Each of us are allowed 1 carry on and 1 checked bag of 50 pounds but as the supplies pour our Bags begin to fill causing us to have to choose between more medical supplies or construction materials that have been asked for. (An issue we are still sorting out)
Tomorrows the day we will depart from Bethel College sometime in the afternoon to allow time for the drive to Detroit Michigan and the cavity search at the airport. Before we go remember us in your prayers. allow God to speak to you not only about us and our trip but for the Haitian people. There is another HUGE thanks in order for a couple people in our Bethel family for their financial support and prayer coverage, much thanks to you. Until next time!
Peace and Love
Shane
Monday, February 22, 2010
God and the Poor
I have been reading and learning on my own a lot about God and the poor. I recently went to a conference on faith and international development where my knowledge grew and was challenged. I was able to hear a man named Ron Sider who I refrence later speak out on God and the poor. I had to write a paper on Biblical Theology and focus on the Old Testament and since this is something im passionate about and have been studying I thought it would be appropriate to write on. For once this was an enjoyable 5-7 page paper. well I have attached it here below I thought I would share it with the rest of you. understand that I did not proof read this paper much and that there is much more to say about this topic and... in the two books that I refrence you can find a much better and fuller understanding of this topic. None the less I will leave you with this read its a bit long but keep with it. Its powerful truth, so keep and open mind.
God and the Poor
I find it interesting that even thought I had grown up in the church, as a pastors kid none the less, that it was not until I reached college that I realized the importance of loving others. Now do not get me wrong, I knew that helping people was important. That is the reason I started my college career off in the nursing field i was in search of a way to others but as I switched from nursing to, my current major, youth Ministry I began to learn and be challenged by the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. His teachings on love overwhelmed me and a large amount of me was upset that it wasn’t till I was nearly 20 years old that I learned and understood what verses like 1 John 3: 17, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3: 17) really meant. This love that I learned about was not just any love and the direction that Jesus gives His followers was not just an ordinary one. I began to truly understand and read the bible with a different light, that His followers were to love other and more specifically love and take care of the poor. Now, I am a senior in college, a semester away from graduating and my knowledge on this matter has grown significantly. I continue to be challenged by theologians, my peers, and God to Love and take care of the poor and not to lord over them with my “riches”. What is so beautiful about this direction we have been given is that it is embedded not only in the New Testament but its rooted and intertwined all throughout the Old Testament as well.
How do we define the poor? In the book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Ronald Sider gives five Hebrew words for the poor, “ani, anaw, ebyon, dal, and ras” and then one Greek word “ptochos” (R. Sider, pg 41). We are told that ani and anaw are very similar in meaning both referring to someone who is “’wrongfully impoverished or dispossessed’” (pg 41). Ebyon on the other hand is directed toward someone who is a beggar petitioning for help. Dal is a word that is understood as “a thin, weakly person such as an impoverished, deprived peasant” (pg 41). Ras is a unique because it is basically a neutral word. In the New Testament we have the Greek word ptochos. This word is directed toward someone that is “like a beggar, who is completely destitute and must seek help from others” (pg 41). Sider also states how Greek ptochos is the reciprocal of the Hebrew words ani and dal. So, as we see when the phrase “the poor” is used in the Bible it is dealing with people with low economic status because of disaster, misfortune, or oppression. Looking further into defining the poor we must also look at Isaiah, “…because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor…” (Isaiah 61: 1-2)
God’s dealings with the poor stems way back as we see God dealing with the poor by lifting up the poor. We can see in Exodus how God came to the rescue of the slaves in Egypt. Many cried out to God for deliverance and for justice like we see in Deuteronomy 26: 7 “Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression” (Deuteronomy 26: 7). In the book When Helping Hurts: how to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert bring to our attention that this event with the Israelites in the Old Testament is not simply an example of God’s dealings with the poor but also a foreshadowing of things to come. This event foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and what he would do on earth as seen in Matthew 5:17; John 5: 37-39, 45-46; Colossians 2: 16-17 (Corbett, Fikkert pg 38).
As we follow this story further we see God giving Israel the law and not to bind them up but to give them peace and justice. Soon after that we see the freed Israelites being put back into captivity. We often look at this and blame it solely on the Israelites spiritual fall with idolatry but that was not all that took place the message of the prophets explains that the exile of the Israelites was due to mistreatment of the poor. (Isaiah 1: 10-17, 58: 1-10)
Corbett and Fikkert ask the question of why the Israelites were exiled why was God so disappointed and furious? They said that it was due to their “failure to care for the poor and the oppressed” (pg 40). They go on and explain that “He wanted His people to ‘loose the chains of injustice,’ and not just go to church on Sunday. He wanted His people to ‘clothe the naked,’ and not just attend midweek prayer meeting[s]. He wanted His people to ‘spend themselves on behalf of the hungry,’ and not just sing praise music” (pg 40). God wanted the Israelites, which he freed and came to the rescue of, to be an example to others of who He is both in word and in deed. God wants us now to be that very same thing, the full embodiment of Jesus.
Another aspect of God’s dealings with the poor is how He identifies with the poor. Proverbs paints a vibrant picture of this. “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14: 31). “He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 17: 5). “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done” (Proverbs 17: 5). All three of these proverbs are similar in the fact that they compare helping the poor with helping God himself. We see another example of this in the New Testament. In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus is talking about people who took care of the hungry, the thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and those in prison and how because of this they did all these things to Him and that they will inherit the kingdom. So again we see God and Jesus identifying with the poor. This also makes it important for followers of Christ to take care of the poor for we are in essence taking care of God himself.
It is also important to note how God has used the poor thought scripture. We can see many times throughout scripture, both Old and New Testament, how God used the poor as special tools to change to world. “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are…” (1 Corinthians 1: 27-28) A few examples from the Old Testament are the Israelites, as we have already mentioned, as being poor and God using them to further the kingdom. Job ended up poor but God was working in him and using him to glorify himself. We also see in Hosea God using a prostitute as a way to bring glory. The poor are significant people all throughout the Bible. In the New Testament we see Jesus himself poor and being used as the savior of the universe. He was born in a manger not ideal for a king and savior of everything.
God also deals with the poor by pulling down the rich. What is the issue with the rich and poor? Why does God pull down the rich? These are questions that are important to understand. Two things are in common when we see God pulling down the rich; one is when we see the rich getting wealthy by oppressing the poor, and two when we see the rich neglecting the poor. Three verses in particular deal with God’s pulling down of the rich are in Isaiah 3, Ezekiel 16 and in Amos 5. We see in Isaiah 3 the people getting rich but at the expense of the poor. God does not delight in seeing people receive riches when that means others will suffer because of that wealth; “The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 3: 15-16). Neither does God delight in the neglect of the poor. We see in Ezekiel how God showed mercy lifting the woman in the story giving her wealth and riches but she wasted them away and “So I [God] stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct.” There are some that are blessed with wealth but they have a higher responsibility to use that wealth to further the kingdom of God. Like we see in this passage of Ezekiel it is difficult for the wealthy to do this for it often times leads to greed and pride. Which can be understood more fully by the accounts of Matthew, mark, and Luke; “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10: 25) Now looking at Amos 5 we get another look at people oppressing the poor. “You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.” (Amos 5: 11) Here we see How God feels about people who take advantage of the poor.
God has a heart for the poor, and as I continue to learn more about the Bible and live my life as a follower of Christ and according to His teaching I am able to see the beauty of God. The actions of God can be seen all throughout the Bible from God lifting up the poor, to Him identifying with the poor, the way e uses the poor, and the way he pulls down the rich who lord over the poor. Each of these actions of God not only show his love and mercy for all of His people but it gives us direction as followers of Christ in how to live a life surrendered to God. Even though I got a late start on the understanding of taking care of the poor I continue to grow, learn, and strive to further the kingdom and bring glory to God through serving the poor and using my wealth to help the poor.
God and the Poor
I find it interesting that even thought I had grown up in the church, as a pastors kid none the less, that it was not until I reached college that I realized the importance of loving others. Now do not get me wrong, I knew that helping people was important. That is the reason I started my college career off in the nursing field i was in search of a way to others but as I switched from nursing to, my current major, youth Ministry I began to learn and be challenged by the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. His teachings on love overwhelmed me and a large amount of me was upset that it wasn’t till I was nearly 20 years old that I learned and understood what verses like 1 John 3: 17, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3: 17) really meant. This love that I learned about was not just any love and the direction that Jesus gives His followers was not just an ordinary one. I began to truly understand and read the bible with a different light, that His followers were to love other and more specifically love and take care of the poor. Now, I am a senior in college, a semester away from graduating and my knowledge on this matter has grown significantly. I continue to be challenged by theologians, my peers, and God to Love and take care of the poor and not to lord over them with my “riches”. What is so beautiful about this direction we have been given is that it is embedded not only in the New Testament but its rooted and intertwined all throughout the Old Testament as well.
How do we define the poor? In the book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Ronald Sider gives five Hebrew words for the poor, “ani, anaw, ebyon, dal, and ras” and then one Greek word “ptochos” (R. Sider, pg 41). We are told that ani and anaw are very similar in meaning both referring to someone who is “’wrongfully impoverished or dispossessed’” (pg 41). Ebyon on the other hand is directed toward someone who is a beggar petitioning for help. Dal is a word that is understood as “a thin, weakly person such as an impoverished, deprived peasant” (pg 41). Ras is a unique because it is basically a neutral word. In the New Testament we have the Greek word ptochos. This word is directed toward someone that is “like a beggar, who is completely destitute and must seek help from others” (pg 41). Sider also states how Greek ptochos is the reciprocal of the Hebrew words ani and dal. So, as we see when the phrase “the poor” is used in the Bible it is dealing with people with low economic status because of disaster, misfortune, or oppression. Looking further into defining the poor we must also look at Isaiah, “…because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor…” (Isaiah 61: 1-2)
God’s dealings with the poor stems way back as we see God dealing with the poor by lifting up the poor. We can see in Exodus how God came to the rescue of the slaves in Egypt. Many cried out to God for deliverance and for justice like we see in Deuteronomy 26: 7 “Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression” (Deuteronomy 26: 7). In the book When Helping Hurts: how to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert bring to our attention that this event with the Israelites in the Old Testament is not simply an example of God’s dealings with the poor but also a foreshadowing of things to come. This event foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and what he would do on earth as seen in Matthew 5:17; John 5: 37-39, 45-46; Colossians 2: 16-17 (Corbett, Fikkert pg 38).
As we follow this story further we see God giving Israel the law and not to bind them up but to give them peace and justice. Soon after that we see the freed Israelites being put back into captivity. We often look at this and blame it solely on the Israelites spiritual fall with idolatry but that was not all that took place the message of the prophets explains that the exile of the Israelites was due to mistreatment of the poor. (Isaiah 1: 10-17, 58: 1-10)
Corbett and Fikkert ask the question of why the Israelites were exiled why was God so disappointed and furious? They said that it was due to their “failure to care for the poor and the oppressed” (pg 40). They go on and explain that “He wanted His people to ‘loose the chains of injustice,’ and not just go to church on Sunday. He wanted His people to ‘clothe the naked,’ and not just attend midweek prayer meeting[s]. He wanted His people to ‘spend themselves on behalf of the hungry,’ and not just sing praise music” (pg 40). God wanted the Israelites, which he freed and came to the rescue of, to be an example to others of who He is both in word and in deed. God wants us now to be that very same thing, the full embodiment of Jesus.
Another aspect of God’s dealings with the poor is how He identifies with the poor. Proverbs paints a vibrant picture of this. “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14: 31). “He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 17: 5). “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done” (Proverbs 17: 5). All three of these proverbs are similar in the fact that they compare helping the poor with helping God himself. We see another example of this in the New Testament. In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus is talking about people who took care of the hungry, the thirsty, strangers, the naked, the sick, and those in prison and how because of this they did all these things to Him and that they will inherit the kingdom. So again we see God and Jesus identifying with the poor. This also makes it important for followers of Christ to take care of the poor for we are in essence taking care of God himself.
It is also important to note how God has used the poor thought scripture. We can see many times throughout scripture, both Old and New Testament, how God used the poor as special tools to change to world. “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are…” (1 Corinthians 1: 27-28) A few examples from the Old Testament are the Israelites, as we have already mentioned, as being poor and God using them to further the kingdom. Job ended up poor but God was working in him and using him to glorify himself. We also see in Hosea God using a prostitute as a way to bring glory. The poor are significant people all throughout the Bible. In the New Testament we see Jesus himself poor and being used as the savior of the universe. He was born in a manger not ideal for a king and savior of everything.
God also deals with the poor by pulling down the rich. What is the issue with the rich and poor? Why does God pull down the rich? These are questions that are important to understand. Two things are in common when we see God pulling down the rich; one is when we see the rich getting wealthy by oppressing the poor, and two when we see the rich neglecting the poor. Three verses in particular deal with God’s pulling down of the rich are in Isaiah 3, Ezekiel 16 and in Amos 5. We see in Isaiah 3 the people getting rich but at the expense of the poor. God does not delight in seeing people receive riches when that means others will suffer because of that wealth; “The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 3: 15-16). Neither does God delight in the neglect of the poor. We see in Ezekiel how God showed mercy lifting the woman in the story giving her wealth and riches but she wasted them away and “So I [God] stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct.” There are some that are blessed with wealth but they have a higher responsibility to use that wealth to further the kingdom of God. Like we see in this passage of Ezekiel it is difficult for the wealthy to do this for it often times leads to greed and pride. Which can be understood more fully by the accounts of Matthew, mark, and Luke; “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10: 25) Now looking at Amos 5 we get another look at people oppressing the poor. “You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.” (Amos 5: 11) Here we see How God feels about people who take advantage of the poor.
God has a heart for the poor, and as I continue to learn more about the Bible and live my life as a follower of Christ and according to His teaching I am able to see the beauty of God. The actions of God can be seen all throughout the Bible from God lifting up the poor, to Him identifying with the poor, the way e uses the poor, and the way he pulls down the rich who lord over the poor. Each of these actions of God not only show his love and mercy for all of His people but it gives us direction as followers of Christ in how to live a life surrendered to God. Even though I got a late start on the understanding of taking care of the poor I continue to grow, learn, and strive to further the kingdom and bring glory to God through serving the poor and using my wealth to help the poor.
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