Amos, Jesus And The Needy

June 2010 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Amos, Jesus And The Needy

While reading the Book of Amos I was struck by four verses: “They trample on the heads of the poor” (2:7 NIV); “You ... oppress the poor and crush the needy” (4:1); “You trample on the poor” (5:11); “You ... trample the needy and do away with the poor” (8:4).

Then our Sunday school teacher applied the prophecy of Amos to the current global economic crisis with these words: “Amos prophesied at a time of unprecedented prosperity and of unparalleled neglect of the poor by God’s people. Sadly, this is true today. Amos is speaking to us. How will we respond?”

I thought about Amos’ words and the teacher’s convicting question as my wife and I worked at our church’s pantry which provides food for needy families. Then I asked myself, “What got me interested in helping the poor?” I searched my past for the answer.

I remembered that my grandparents – who came to America as needy immigrants with just the clothes on their backs – always had a handout for the “hobos” who came to their back door. My parents learned from their parents, and gave food from our garden and henhouse to needy friends and neighbors. I learned from them, and over the years have volunteered at a church that helped migrant workers, and at a rescue mission that provided food, shelter, clothing and the gospel to the homeless. Now I work in a church food pantry.

While examples are good, the best encouragement for helping the needy comes from the Bible. Amos tells us what happens if we “trample” them, but Jesus tells us what happens when we care for them. When asked, “When did we ... feed You ... give You something to drink ... invite You in ... clothe You ... visit You?” He answered, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me’” (Mt. 25:37-40).

Want to do something for Jesus? Help those in need.

By Larry Ondrejack