Ministry to the Poor
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those who are so much in need of help by meeting them where they
are.
The Lord Jesus corrects our erring piety, giving the burden of this
work for the poor and needy in the rough places to men and women
of adaptability who have hearts that can feel for the ignorant and
for those who are out of the way. The Lord teaches them how to
meet these cases. These workers will be encouraged as they see doors
opening for them to enter places where they can do medical missionary
work. Having little self-confidence, they give God all the glory, taking
none of it to themselves. The Saviour is present to help to make a
beginning through those whose hands are rough and unskilled, but
whose hearts are susceptible to pity and awakened to do something to
relieve the woes so abundant. He works through those who can discern
mercy in misery, gain in the loss of all things. When the Light of the
world passeth by, privileges appear in all hardships, right and order in
confusion, the success and wisdom of God in that which has seemed
to be failure in human experience....
Christ pronounces His blessing upon those who hunger and thirst
after righteousness. In Luke we read, “Blessed be ye poor.” The poor
have not a hundredth part of the delusive temptations of the rich. In
Matthew we read, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.” Poverty of spirit signifies wealth to be supplied
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by the riches of the grace of God.—
Letter 100, 1902
.
If Poverty Were Removed From the Earth—Want and poverty
there will always be. However high the standard of knowledge and
morality may be, whatever heights we may reach in civilization,
poverty will always continue, as a display of the riches of the grace of
God, a standing memorial to the truth of the words, “Not by might, nor
by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” It would not be
for the benefit of Christianity for the Lord to remove poverty from the
earth. Thus a door would be closed that is now open for the exercise
of faith—a means whereby the hearts of the afflicted can be reached
by the gospel of goodness. By Christian liberality souls are reached
that could be reached in no other way. It is the helping hand of the
gospel.—
Letter 83, 1902
.
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