Remember The Poor

When is the church at her best?

Is it when she is doing praise and worship? Is it when she holds bible studies for members? Evangelizing the lost? Tithing? Growing in numbers? Raising up leaders?

All of those matter and are very very important. However, I believe the church is at her absolute best when she is loving and serving the poor. When , in the words of Bob Pierce, our hearts break over the things that break the heart of God.

There are times I wonder as a pastor if I or the church I serve ever does anything right? When I get in a leadership funk, I chastise myself for not doing right. In those times, I abhor the thought of facing God one day and give an account of my leadership to Him, let alone my life.

But when a church member confides to me that on her birthday, she bought numerous pairs of slippers for the purpose of giving them to any street children she sees without slippers, then I know the church must be doing something right. When a Life Group leader tells me she and her members set aside part of their holidays to serve food to families living in the cemetery, then the church must be doing something right. When a student of mine tells me she captured a burden for the precious Mangyan people and wants to minister to them, then I know even I sometimes do something right.When the church tithes her thirteenth month pay and bonuses to bless poor families, then we must be doing something right.

It is during these moments that I feel being a pastor is so worthwhile. When our people finally get it, and becomes the hands and feet, eyes and ears, indeed the BODY of CHRIST to a lost and dying world, it's worth all the sacrifices and heartache of serving God full-time.

Beloved, this holiday season, in the midst of gift giving and receiving; of food, fanfare, and fellowship; of family and friends; may we never forget the poor amongst us. May we be the church to the lost, the least, and the last. Jesus died for them too. As a matter of fact, Luke 4:18-19 tells us, it is precisely to the poor that the good news be preached; to the last and the least that the church minister to.

Christmas is for them. May the church never ever forget that.