A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor person hears no threat. Proverbs 13:8, TLV

Seeing the Person.     I guess you could say hubby and I are “okay”, financially. We have a few dollars after expenses to once-in-awhile take a road trip or class at the local college. To give over-and-above our tithe. As retired and semi-retired folks, we still must be careful to pinch pennies from time to time.

During our 50 years of marriage, we’ve been at the poverty level and at the opposite end of that spectrum.

Like this proverb, at every level of income there were challenges.

Unique Threats

We all have threats that are unique to our financial situations. Why is this important to know? So that we can operate in both compassion and understanding. Things that keep us united as brothers and sisters in Messiah, and as we reach out to a hurting world.

Each person carries different responsibilities that the other may never know. A poor person may see a wealthy person and think they don’t have any problems because they don’t have to worry about putting food on the table.

Whereas a wealthy person may see a poor person and think if they worked harder, they could get ahead and not be their current situation.

Seeing the individual will help us better understand who they are. Seeing the wealthy person who must work 60 or more hours a week to maintain their lifestyle. Seeing the lower-income person who was laid off after working for 20 years for the same company and is struggling to find another job.

All of us have a story. Listening to that story keeps us from judging. It provides more opportunities to help with prayer and wisdom and perhaps some other ways.

Understanding can change lives.

Think More About It

Have you experienced or seen unique threats within all financial spectrums?

Until tomorrow, may we see one another in wisdom, compassion, and understanding, my friends.

“And answering, the King will say to them, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:40, TLV

“My brethren.” Who were Yeshua’s brethren at that moment in time? The Jewish people. There are other passages that integrate both Jewish and non-Jewish brothers and sister, but in this passage, it was His Jewish brothers and sisters. Praying and supporting His brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world is truly a mandate. God bless you and Shabbat Shalom.