Arrogant, Overfed, and Unconcerned

 

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

Usually when we hear 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 because, “I’m not like the people of Sodom.”  Genesis 13:13 says, “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.”

Ezekiel 16:49 broadens our understanding, “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.” A commentator interpreted these words as “arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned.”

I don’t know about you but those words hit home.  I want for nothing in life, not food, clothing, or warmth.  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.

Have we become complacent? We have let our political leaders convince us that taking care of the poor and needy is government work: welfare, housing, food stamps, and medical insurance? We just don’t need to be worried about anyone.

What does God say? He called Sodom 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.” God apparently takes helping the poor and needy pretty seriously (not that they didn’t have some other problems, too).

In Paul’s letters he talked about giving to the poor, and his joy over the giving.  He said the giving would overflow in Thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:11-12), an acknowledgment of God’s hand behind the giving.

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 a form of taxation. We certainly have no opportunity to point to the source of the giving, the Lord himself (Acts 17:25).

Unless we go looking for it from our suburban bliss, we rarely encounter real poverty. We know it exists, but have little opportunity to share what God has given us in our everyday lives.

Even in the church, we are complacent about our own, “Go to the government first,” we say.  That is a true lack of concern for our neighbors’ material needs, but it shows a bigger lack of concern for their spiritual needs.

If “Uncle Sam” pays their bills, it is harder to explain that the Lord will provide for them. And, it’s easier for them to take short-cuts to saving – like aborting a child with no one to advise against it.

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

 

Arrogant. Overfed. Unconcerned. Do these words describe today’s American Christian? Do they describe you or me?