Oh, forgive me this rant.

I was sitting in the emergency room with a friend and our seats faced the front window and the television. The program was chronicling the life and times of a fallen starlet. Her career had hit the dreaded "rock bottom", and she was slowly trying to climb back up the mountain of artistic acclaim. We watched as her limo took her from one record label to the next for them to tell her that they didn't want to release her latest album. She reminisced about her days of glory from her mansion's commercial sized, granite paneled kitchen. She was quick to mention her faith and she even cried at one point.


I'm no marketing guru. But honey buy yourself your own record label and release your songs already. Jeez.


Next up was a preacher telling us to send him a "seed" and that if we did, God would bring such a harvest of cash and possessions into our lives that we would never want again. It's the familiar shtick we've heard for years and yet the audience was full of "believers" ready to testify to the financial "miracles" that had befallen them at the very hour of their desperation when they had obediently sown a "seed" into the particular man's ministry.


Now this begs a question, at least to me anyway. Is the only fertile soil on God's once green earth the pockets, wallets and bank accounts of these snake oil salesmen? I mean not once do these men encourage the unwashed masses to sow seeds into the lives of the the impoverished around them. Never do they actually put the sowing and reaping scriptures they are so fond to preach in the biblical context in which they were spoken. Of course not. Where's the profit in that.


In the ten minutes that I've been writing this 150 children died of malnutrition. Another will die before I finish typing this sentence. According to World Legacy.org it costs 2/3rds of a cent to feed a person a half a cup of food. My 3 dollar Americanos twice a day could feed a family of 5.


Here's a few scriptures for you madam and for you preacher man.


And especially for me.

Deuteronomy 15:11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, “You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.”

Psalms 82:3-4 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.

Proverbs 31:20 (It is said of the Godly woman that) She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Luke 14:13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.

Galatians 2:10 [They desired] only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

2^nd Corinthians 9:8-15 God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you.



M.