by Bonnie Scasta, Women's Ministry Director
Blessed are those who consider the poor.
“Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.” Ps 41:1-2 (ESV)
These are the first verses to a psalm about the trouble—sickness, mockery, and betrayal—that David experienced during his life. These two verses can be broken down into three parts, a set of reminders that we should keep in mind during our own days of trouble:
1. Blessed is the one who considers the poor.
2. In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive.
3. You do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
Each of these is helpful and hopeful reminders in our days of trouble. Over the next three weeks, we will look at each, starting today with the first.
The first reminder speaks of the blessedness of those who consider the poor. It seems odd to me that David would begin in this way. In my flesh, I would want to begin with a complaint against the Lord for the “day of trouble” I am experiencing. I would want to ask the Lord what he is doing and why these days are so hard? David, however, has much greater wisdom than I. By starting this way, he reminds himself and us of two truths about those who consider the poor.
First, he reminds himself of how God responds to those who consider or move to help the poor. David experienced hard trials, and he possibly felt like one who was cast off and not seen. He knew that many would look on his affliction and respond by simply walking the other way. He also knew that, in contrast, a few would respond with care and consideration. He was thankful knowing they would be blessed just as he was blessed when he moved to help those in need.
How are you at considering the poor or those in need around you? Often, we are so wrapped up in ourselves and our own struggles that we do not look around to consider anyone else. We miss opportunities to be blessed by seeing and meeting the needs of those with great need. Think about how your small group, church, work, or neighborhood would change for the better of everyone if you really considered other’s needs and moved to meet them.
On the flip side, how are you at allowing others to bless you when you are in a poor position? Perhaps people would move toward you with considerate care, kindness, or actions to help if you shared your needs and trials with them. This requires being brave and allowing others to see your weaknesses, your vulnerabilities, and that you don’t have it all together. But doing this could lead to great blessing for you and for others.
Secondly, David reminds himself that his greatest hope is in God’s ability to rescue as He is the ultimate One to consider our poor position. He praises the Lord for how He responds to his troubled and poor state. God knew how those that were supposed to come through for David actually failed and betrayed him. Yet God was faithful despite other’s faithlessness. What a great truth for us to embrace: God sees, cares, and faithfully rescues us.
Are you in a poor position like David? Do you feel alone and like no one considers you? Are you experiencing heartache and affliction as your struggle doesn’t seem to end? Do you feel overcome by addictive patterns? Has your community failed to be what they should be? Is your family still stuck in their unhealthy, hurtful patterns? Are you anxious about life’s many twists and turns?
In whatever way that you feel poor, do you believe that God considers you? Do you believe he sees your helpless state and responds with certain care and rescue? Because He does.
Father, thank you for these reminders from your word. Thank you that you see and respond to our helpless state. Thank you for those that also see and move toward us in our poor condition. Help us be people that consider the poor around us so we can look more like you and be blessed. Amen.
