The Poor

Jesus told us during his time on Earth that we will always have the poor among us (John 12:8). That statement doesn’t make God harsh - just practical. He is the same way in the book of Leviticus. God knows not every person will be able to sacrifice a lamb every time they became unclean, so he made another method for those less fortunate:

Leviticus 5:7 KJV
And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord ; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.

Jesus is fully acquainted with poverty because he grew up in it. After a woman had a child, she was required to offer a sacrifice for her uncleanness (the bleeding that takes place after childbirth):

Leviticus 12:6-7 KJV
And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

The gospel of Luke tell us Mary did not bring a lamb to the temple for sacrifice after Jesus’ birth. She brought a pair of birds (2:24). From this, we know Mary and Joseph were impoverished. Jesus did not grow up in wealth and opulence. He grew up in a household struggling to make ends meet.

Our country is blessed that even our poor are wealthy compared to the rest of the world, but that doesn’t give us a free pass. Just because the poor are with us always doesn’t mean we can disregard them. A portion of what we have should be left for those struggling, just as God commanded the Israelites in Leviticus:

Leviticus 23:22 KJV
And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Most of us are not farming our land today, but we can still leave our “corners” financially for those struggling around us.