A recent Star Tribune article details the rise of the working-class poor in the suburbs. The number of suburban poor has dramatically increased since 2000. As Convoy of Hope readies its fleet to travel to the Twin Cities on August 1, it is worth talking about biblical solutions applied practically in our community.

When Jesus said we will always have the poor (Matthew 26:11), he understood poverty as a reality of a fallen world. God didn’t create poverty any more than he did sin. This said, it is our responsibility to serve the least of these.

Historically, we’ve done it well, . The Church has made a significant dent in poverty; arguably greater than any other organization in history. Many forget that the things we take for granted, such as orphanages and hospitals, now administered for the most part by private enterprise or the government, were begun by the Church.

But applying justice in one’s daily life presents challenges.

How do we spend our limited resources? Can we accomplish real change when our own lives are so busy, and the cares of life distract us from our true purpose as the hands and feet of Christ?

How do we engage in the ministry of Christ-centered justice in a way that is uplifting, not charity, not a handout?

How do we reach the working poor and help them transition back into the middle class?

Whatever we choose to do, it needs to be long term. Convoy of Hope is a one-day event, but the hope is that the relationships begun through the outreach will continue long after the last truck leaves. It’s not drive-by justice God is looking for. It’s a heart that’s sensitive and open to others and the heart of the Father for the least of these.

There are many ways to live out this justice, but one thing is true: we can’t save people.

We were never made to do that.

We were made to live our lives in such a radical, inclusive, and others-focused way that we become a feast in a famine of worldly despair. It’s about quality interactions and biblically-based outreach multiplied over a long period of time. Our obedience multiplied will bear fruit!

 

Learn more about Convoy of Hope and how you can get involved. 

This post is provided by Convoy of Hope – Twin Cities as a part of the Ministry Spotlight initiative.