Despising the Poor

 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Pr 19:17 NIV

Some years ago I was visiting another city. A man asked me for some money. When I asked him about his situation, he said he was unemployed and homeless. He had been in a poorly paid job and living from paycheck to paycheck, unable to save. 

The conservative government made him wait six weeks before he could receive unemployment benefits. He couldn’t pay his rent and was homeless.

Some people are able to save money from their wages but spend everything, but others are genuinely unable to save, and are punished by heartless governments.

If we look upon all welfare clients as lazy dole bludgers or freeloaders, we are guilty of arrogance. The Bible tells us God is not pleased.

It is a sin to despise one’s neighbour, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Pr 14:21 NIV

We can despise the poor by looking upon everyone on welfare as lazy and irresponsible. Some are, but many are not. Many are suffering from mental or physical ill health.

We can be cruel to the poor by trying to pay the least possible tax and supporting policies to keep wages and welfare payments as low as possible.

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. Is 5:8 NIV

Socialist dictatorship is evil, but market economics without humane regulation has resulted in unrestrained profiteering from real estate speculation, resulting in an epidemic of homelessness in some rich countries.