Job 5:16

Alfred Shropshire

"God gives hope to the poor and silences the wicked."

In today's world, it is difficult to avoid seeing the needs of others. Wherever we look, television, newspapers, magazines, mailings, the faces of the world's disadvantaged stare back at us through the eyes of starving children, homeless families, unemployed workers, refugees or victims of natural disasters and local wars, etc. More often than not, these faces are persons who have done nothing to place themselves in their predicaments. Indeed, some are there because of the wickedness of others, sometimes by their own local or national government's plans or policies.

Some have used Cain's response to God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. 3:9) and Jesus' declaration from Mark 14:7, You will always have the poor people with you" as a basis for doing less and less to aid the disadvantaged. They ignore the second half of that verse from Mark, which is "and any time you want to, you can help them."

Westminster, recognizing that "Whoever does what God wants him to do is my brother, my sister, my mother," (Mark 3:35) has always sought to be God's agent as we go about local, national, and international mission work, even as our annual budget continues to shrink. It can be daunting and difficult to discern which need among the many is most deserving of our time, talent, and money. Let us continue to do what we can for "the least of them", whether it is in our own backyard or our neighbor's yards, which may be continents away.

Prayer: Lord God, may our small voice be added to those many others who, together, will silence the wicked and bring hope to the poor. Amen