Friday, November 21, 2014

Defending the Rights of the Underdog

God tells us to defend the rights of the underdogs. The widows, the orphans and the poor. There are some attorneys that go into pro-bono work . When I was a little girl, I always liked that cartoon, "Underdog."

Our society of capitalism and free enterprise does not always lend itself to "looking out for the interests of others" like the Bible says and the New Testament church, but neither does giving free handouts. It tells us if a person does not work, he should not eat. Widows were taken care of by family or by the church, not by the government.

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." 2 Thess. 3:10

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philips 2:4

There was no disparity in the NT because if people had an extra vacation property, they sold and they gave to the church. Jesus told the rich man to sell his goods and give to the poor. We know that Jesus gave regularly to the poor and this was the purpose of the money bag, although Judas was a kleptomaniac he was stealing from the money bag.

Jesus was not born of an affluent family: His mother became a widow.

He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD. Jeremiah 22:16

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

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3

The theme of the Bible is not about how much we give, but the size of our heart, Jesus praised a widow who gave two mites into the offering, he said "how they gave out of their abundance, but she gave all her living."

I heard someone say recently, "It's not the size of the church its the size of the church's heart." I spoke to a man who lost his wife on Christian Mingle and he said he goes to the "Caring Church" he said how many women reached out to him when he lost his wife at church. I thought that was sweet that he goes to a church like that. At times it's hard to get married couples to reach out without one of the partner's getting jealous.

Another widow and I have encountered pastors that are very serving and she has one who lives next door to her that comes over and mows her grass. She was telling me how there were moles digging holes in everyone's yards.. She said it was rather miraculous but the moles bypassed his yard that was in the middle of everyone's yards!

I've been to small churches and I've been to mega churches and I agree it's not how many people go, but it's the spirit of the church or the Bible study and if they have a loving and caring (accepting) heart.

As the scripture quotes it talks about "pure religion in the site of God" and to keep our self unspotted or corrupted from the world. I was born a mistake (unplanned). This was back during rhythm method before birth control. My parents had a girl and boy and then I came and sort of "rocked the boat" in not being planned being born late in life.

I can remember having this dream I was adopted and it was so real. My mother had to convince me I was not adopted. I think it was because I was not planned. I have a friend who met her daughter she gave up for adoption (her first baby) and the couple who adopted her thanked her for giving them her precious daughter.

There are so many people who can't have children and want to have children. Choosing life is giving another person the precious opportunity to be blessed. Many adopted children suffer at times from a complex of being unwanted.

My late husband adopted his son and he was very protective of his son after the loss of a child. It sort of reminds me of that Star Wars episode when Luke Skywalker is talking about R2-D2 and he says, "I've never seen such devotion in a droid." I've never met a man more devoted to his son than my late spouse. He told me once he would go sleep in a rescue shelter before his son would.

There seems to be a correlation of choosing to adopt a child and that is what God did for us as Gentiles, he chose us.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

I may have been a mistake, but according to God, I was chosen before the foundation of the world. It says he chose us "in love."

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love Ephesians 1:4

No comments:

Post a Comment