"Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!" Psalm 41:1b (NLT)
I just love David’s heart! It’s easy to understand why God chose him to be king. His reflections concerning the poor are moving and challenging. Let’s consider them.
David encourages us to remember those who are less fortunate. The word kind is the Hebrew word sakal, which is translated to considers. It means to have insight, to give attention to, or ponder. The word poor is the Hebrew word dal, which means weak, low, depressed, least, needy. We don’t have to look very far to find someone who is weak to consider, do we? Many of us struggle at different times in our lives, whether emotionally, physically, spiritually, or financially. Receiving help, support, and care during our hard seasons is a gift. In the same vein, giving help, support, and care for others in their difficult seasons is also a gift.
God rewards those who follow His instructions. He blesses those who consider the needy. The list of blessings is quite impressive, but of course our God is quite an impressive God. Those who regard the poor will be:
- Rescued in times of trouble
- Protected
- Prosperous
- Rescued from their enemies
- Nursed when sick and restored to health
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! Today, ask God to show you who to help and how to consider their needs. Perhaps you and a friend can provide lunch for the woman holding a "Will work for food” sign. You could commit to rolling your elderly neighbor’s trash bins to the curb each week. Or you can babysit for a mom of a toddler for the evening. Each morning when you wake up, seek the Lord for whom He might have you consider—and look for His sweet blessings in return.
What do you think?
