Proverbs 31 starts off by telling us “the words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.” In two verses, we see “the poor and needy.”

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. … She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. – Pro 31:9, 20 KJV

Jesus is seeking a virtuous woman for His bride! She represents the whole church (Proverbs 31:10-31)!

Poor

1. poor, afflicted, humble, wretched
   1. poor, needy
   2. poor and weak
   3. poor, weak, afflicted, wretched
   4. humble, lowly

Blue Letter Bible

Needy

1. in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person
2. subject to oppression and abuse
3. needing help, deliverance from trouble, especially as delivered by God
4. general reference to lowest class

Blue Letter Bible

Progressive Revelation

The Bible is a progressive revelation of Christ Jesus. It starts with the beginning of time as we know it (Genesis 1). And it ends with the world to come, eternal life (Mark 10:30). This simply means that the Old Testament saints didn’t have the full revelation of God, His Son, Jesus, and His true nature and character through the fruit of His Holy Spirit (John 17:3, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 5:8-11). All of this is now available for New Testament believers’ consumption (Luke 11:3, John 6:58, Revelation 1).

Communion

Deuteronomy

By the time we get to Deuteronomy, God has separated out His people and is teaching them what is good and evil.

Hebrews 5:14 tells us that God is still trying to do that today.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 says that He teaches and corrects us through His written words.

Again, some people don’t let what the Bible actually says get in the way of their false doctrines.

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. – Deu 15:11 KJV
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant [that is] poor and needy, [whether he be] of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that [are] in thy land within thy gates: – Deu 24:14 KJV

We can see that there are “strangers” to Israel that came out of Egypt. Some of the Egyptians fled with the Israelites. Seeing that God chose Abram out of the Chaldeans tells us that it wasn’t a physical “pure” bloodline God is calling “My people.” John 3:16 tells us that He is still calling “whoever will believe.”

But Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, the land of his birth, while his father, Terah, was still living. – Gen 11:28 NLT

Please note that Deuteronomy 15:11 ends with “in your land.” And Deuteronomy 24:14 ends with “in your land within your gates.” There are so many scammers online showing pictures of poor and needy children in other lands. I am sure some of them are legitimate, but I know for a fact some are not. Believers can hear Jesus’ voice through His Holy Spirit to know all things (John 10:27, 1 John 2:20).

Love Yourself

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. – Mat 22:39 KJV

Your neighbor is someone who is near you. This can mean in a physical location or a friend who is anywhere. I am currently getting to know a friend in West Africa. I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to give him money even though I love his family and ministry.

Who is My Neighbor?

near

1. a neighbour
   1. a friend
   2. any other person, and where two are concerned, the other (thy fellow man, thy neighbour), according to the Jews, any member of the Hebrew nation and commonwealth
   3. according to Christ, any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet

Blue Letter Bible

Who would love to see naive Christians send all of their resources off to strangers in foreign lands while they neglect the neighbors (and their own households) in close proximity?

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. – 2Co 2:11 KJV

The Greatest is Love

You can be confident that you should start in your own home with your own family with generosity. Then when all of your own household’s needs are met, you can move outward into your neighborhood and community, etc. This is true for all of your resources, especially your time. Time is your most valuable resource second in value only to your love.

Continue in My Love

Practice.

Doctors practice. Lawyers practice. It’s good to be a “practicing” Christian.

Yes, but they have malpractice insurance!

Jesus is our malpractice insurance! A buckler is a shield. All of Proverbs 2 is fantastic!

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. – Pro 2:7-8 KJV

All of my success mentors preach “fail your way to success (Proverbs 24:16).”

And give yourself time (Matthew 11:28). We have eternity (John 3:15)! The devil is angry because he knows his days are numbered (Revelation 12:12).

The Apostle Paul knew the Scripture because he was a Pharisee of Pharisees (Galatians 1:13-14). But he took at least three years basking in revelation from Jesus before starting his Christian ministry (Galatians 1:12, 15-18).

Again, Hebrews 5:14 explains that maturity in this comes with practice.

Old and New

The Proverbs 31 woman/church stretches out her hand to the poor and reaches forth her hands to the needy.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. – Rev 22:17 KJV (Also Revelation 21:2, 9)

Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. – Gen 5:2 KJV
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. – Gal 3:28 KJV

The Poor and Needy

The search for “poor” and “needy” pulled up 36 verses. But they were all in the Old Testament. The word “poor” occurs in 197 verses throughout the entire Bible. “Poor” occurs 35 times just in the New Testament.

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set [him] in safety [from him that] puffeth at him. – Psa 12:5 KJV

The teachings in the Old Testament make it clear that God loves the poor and the needy. Part of following God at that time meant treating people with dignity and respect. That has not changed. Taking advantage of the poor and needy has never been acceptable and never will be.

All Power is Given

I believe the word “needy” is only in the Old Testament because the “god of this world” can no longer force himself on us (2 Corinthians 4:4)! Unless we choose to let him (James 4, 7, 10-11, 17). We have been given back our power and authority if we choose to receive it (Matthew 28:18, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23)!

The Power of His Might

God Saved the Poor and Needy

In Psalm 12:5, the LORD saves the poor and needy, us, mankind from him that puffs at us, the dragon (Psalm 91:13, Revelation 12:9, 12, 16, 20:2). Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 10 and Ephesians 6:11-13 that people are not our enemies! People are the poor in spirit even after they receive the kingdom of heaven (Colossians 1:13). Even when we are more than conquerors and are doing the greater works (Romans 8:37, John 14:12)!

Prosperity Gospel

Let’s pick up our cross and follow Jesus’ example. And Paul encourages us to also follow him as he follows Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:16-20).

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things. – 2Co 6:10 KJV
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. – 2Co 8:9 KJV

How are we making many rich? By preaching the full Gospel!

Jesus’ Teachings

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Mat 5:3, Luke 6:20

What difference does Jesus point out about His disciples in Luke 6:20?

The word translated as “Poor” in this verse means the following:

1. reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms
2. destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour
   1. lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches
   2. helpless, powerless to accomplish an end
   3. poor, needy
3. lacking in anything…

at the end; “but it always had a bad sense till it was ennobled in the Gospels; see Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20, cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9” (Liddell and Scott, under I.)); hence,
1. in classical Greek from Homer down, reduced to beggary, begging, mendicant, asking alms: Luke 14:13, 21; Luke 16:20, 22.

Blue Letter Bible

How Jesus Teaches

Religion would have you read the Bible to lay up heavy burdens on people that are really just too heavy for anyone to bear. It is also degrading to other people when you have such high expectations of them and make excuses for yourself.

Jesus says, “Come to Me; rest, ask Me, believe only, and receive.” It takes humility (being poor in spirit) to believe and receive Jesus and His teachings.

Preach the Gospel

The full Gospel brings the poor out of poverty! Just as the other miracles in the following verses, the Gospel runs off everything contrary to God’s will, His ways, and His thoughts.

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. – Luk 7:22, Matthew 11:5,

The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, – Luk 4:18 KJV

Remember John 10:10 and 3 John 1:2. Wealth, health, and wisdom are all part of the life more abundant that Jesus came for us to have. We are also warned that in this world we will have trials, tribulations, and persecutions. Why? The enemy is still prowling around (1 Peter 5:8).

The Enemy

Give to the Poor

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. – Mat 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22

People are God’s riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). You are God’s treasure!

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: – Mar 12:42-43, Luke 21:2-3

Was this woman poor? In spirit: yes! According to Jesus, she was more wealthy than all they which have cast into the treasury! I agree with Jesus. Again, the key to everything good is entering the kingdom now (John 17:3). The kingdom was already in the Pharisees (luke 17:21). But they didn’t count themselves worthy to enter in (Matthew 23:13).

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. – Jhn 10:9 KJV

Enter In

Go In and Out

Find Pasture

Bring in the Poor and Needy

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor [thy] rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. – Luk 14:10-14 KJV