God’s responses to our prayers – Part 8

Unmerciful to the poor (Cont’)
“You rich men, weep and howl.” The Bible does not teach that all rich people are ungodly. Nevertheless, what James is describing is characteristic of many people with wealth (vv.1-6;2:1-3). The exceptions are the rich people who are not possessed by their wealth and use it instead to advance the gospel and to help those in need.

“They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do,” (Gal 2:10) The Apostles were referring to the poor of Jerusalem. While many Gentile converts were financially comfortable, the Jerusalem church had suffered from the effects of a severe famine in Palestine (see Acts 11:28-30) and was struggling. So on his journeys, Paul had gathered funds for the Jewish Christians (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25-29;1Corinthians 16:1-4; 2Corinthians 8).

The need for believers to care for the poor is a constant theme in the scripture. But often we do nothing, caught up in meeting our own needs and desires. Perhaps we don’t see enough poverty to remember the needs of the poor. The world is filled with poor people, here and in other countries. What can you do to help?

“Remember the poor.” A repeated theme in the scripture is the importance of helping the poor (Ex 23:10-11; Deut15:7-11; Jer 22:16; Amos2:6-7; Mat 6:2-4; John13:29). There will always be those around us who need help. The poor, especially “them who are of the household of faith” (6:10), require our love, prayers and material assistance.

Husband Ill-treating His Wife
“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honour to the wife, as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered,”(1Pet 3:7).

When Peter called women the “weaker partners, he did not imply moral or intellectual inferiority, but he recognised women’s physical limitations. Women in his day, unprotected by men are vulnerable to attack, abuse and financial disaster. Women’s lives may be easier today, but women are still vulnerable to criminal attack and family abuse.

In spite of increased opportunities in the workplace, most women still earn considerably less than most men and the vast majority of the nations poor are single mothers and their children. A man who honours his wife as a member of the weaker sex will protect, respect, help and stay with her. He will not expect her to work full-time outside the home and full-time at home: he will lighten her load wherever he can. He will be sensitive to her needs, and he will relate to her with courtesy, consideration, insight, and tact.
3:7 harps that if a man is not considerate and respectful of his wife, his prayers will be hindered, because a living relationship with God depends on right relationships with others.