Duty to the Poor
[
Testimonies for the Church 4:550-552
(1881).]
The managers of the sanitarium should not be governed by the
principles which control other institutions of this kind, in which the
leaders, acting from policy, too often pay deference to the wealthy,
while the poor are neglected. The latter are frequently in great need of
sympathy and counsel, which they do not always receive, although for
moral worth they may stand far higher in the estimation of God than
the more wealthy. The apostle James has given definite counsel with
regard to the manner in which we should treat the rich and the poor:
“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in
goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and
ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him,
Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or
sit here under my footstool: are ye not then partial in yourselves, and
are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?”
James
2:2-5
.
Although Christ was rich in the heavenly courts, yet He became
poor that we through His poverty might be made rich. Jesus honored
the poor by sharing their humble condition. From the history of His
life we are to learn how to treat the poor. Some carry the duty of
beneficence to extremes, and really hurt the needy by doing too much
for them. The poor do not always exert themselves as they should.
While they are not to be neglected and left to suffer, they must be
taught to help themselves.
[229]
The cause of God should not be overlooked that the poor may
receive our first attention. Christ once gave His disciples a very impor-
tant lesson on this point. When Mary poured the ointment on the head
of Jesus, covetous Judas made a plea in behalf of the poor, murmuring
at what he considered a waste of money. But Jesus vindicated the
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