Pastor’s Corner – Sunday, August 10, 2025
What might Jesus think about homelessness and poverty?
The truth is Jesus did not have his own home, he relied on the hospitality of others. In Matthew 8:20, Jesus confirms this reality: “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”. Jesus knew what it was like to be poor. The Roman occupiers of his land were draining the resources, leaving the people of Israel to do without.
Jesus filled the gap in his time by feeding his people and teaching about the way trust in God empowers a spirit of generosity to meet the needs. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed the people “to consider the lilies of the field that the Creator dresses more beautifully than King Solomon, and to look at the birds of the air who neither reap, sow, nor gather into barns and yet the Creator feeds them”. Jesus brings the teaching to a close by reminding disciples to get their priorities straight: “strive first for the kingdom of God and all the things you need will be given to you”.
Greed entices us to take everything we want. Like a bottomless pit, our wants are never satisfied and many suffer in the process of trying to fill them. But God created a world where all the needs can be filled when we trust the Provider and share what we receive. This wisdom was powerfully demonstrated when a child shared his lunch with Jesus. Jesus gratefully and prayerfully received the gift and shared it with others. Thousands ate their fill, and twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered to feed even more. (John 6:1-13)
There is no doubt, Jesus would have us as his disciples to get our priorities straight, to trust God, and to be generous so that everyone has a place to call home and there is room for all at the table of blessing. Jesus viewed basic necessities as God’s gifts gratefully received, that then empower us to roll up our sleeves and get to work in order to share with others Divine abundance.
Let’s get in the flow of trust and generosity.
Yours in Christ,
Marc
