Arrogant, Overfed, and Unconcerned

 

That title sounds like I might be going to talk about someone we don’t know, people who have walked away from their faith, unwilling to follow the Lord. Though that may be true to begin with – I also think these words describe me …and maybe our country. God used these words about Sodom.

Usually when we hear sermons or read in Genesis about Sodom we think and hear about sexual sin. For most of us living good Christian lives with the spouses of our youth that gives us a feeling of security – I’m not like the people of Sodom. Genesis 13:13 says, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.”

I have been reading through the book of Ezekiel and this morning I came across this verse: “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” (Ezekiel 16:49) The NIV Bible puts it even more clearly: “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom : She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.”

Arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned! I don’t know about you but those words hit home. I want for nothing in life, not food, clothing, warmth, or even affection. Many, many people in this world, in this nation, in my own county cannot say that. What am I doing about it? Clearly, not enough.

 I fear for us as a nation, and even in our churches, that we have become complacent. We have let our political leaders convince us that taking care of the poor and needy is government work. They can get welfare, they can have food stamps and live in housing projects. We just don’t need to be worried about them.

What does God say? He judged Sodom for their sin. He called them wicked – partly because they failed to help the poor and needy. Genesis 19:24, “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” It looks to me like God takes helping the poor and needy pretty seriously.

In Paul’s letter he often suggested giving to the poor and his joy over the giving. He suggested it would overflow in Thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:11). This thanksgiving comes from the giver and well as the receiver.

The government is only concerned with people thanking them. There is no overflow of thanksgiving at God’s provision when taxpayers foot the bill. There is no joy in the offering when it is the form of taxation. We certainly have no opportunity to point to the source of the giving, the Lord Jesus himself, who gives us all we have (Acts 17:25).

Jesus did not turn away people in need. He met the masses face to face and took care of their needs. The masses now have no face to many of us. We rarely encounter real poverty in our day to day lives. Certainly, we know this doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist but it gives us little opportunity to share what God has given us without a lot of effort on our part. We need only to ask Him to open our eyes to the poverty we do not see.

When the Lord shows me verses in His word that stand out like this one this morning I know He has something for me to do. Right now I don’t know what that is. Last night I learned from a woman speaking from “The Polaris Project” about the plight of many people who are caught in the slavery of human trafficking, both sex slaves and slaves of labor. This is happening in our own county and in our own country. The victims are poor, their traffickers are getting filthy rich – in fact arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned for their victims. Maybe the Lord has something for me to do with them. Maybe He has yet to show me where but is preparing me for when He shows me so I’ll recognize the opportunity when it comes.

How about you? Is there someone that needs to be fed? Do you know someone out of work who could use a few dollars to pay a monthly bill? Is there a single Mom who needs help feeding her children? Perhaps you know an elderly person who seems to be doing fine but is fighting financially to pay the bills and eat. When you help will you also tell them about the Source of your abundance?

Arrogant, overfed, unconcerned? If we could start by eliminating the arrogant and unconcerned we would be well ahead of Sodom and away from God’s wrath.

 

Memory verse: Titus 3:14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.