"One of the primary tasks God gave to the prophets in ancient Israel was to instruct the people of Israel on how to order their society so that it reflected God’s heart and mind. These verses from the prophet Zechariah are a prime example of that." (For the full post, click the link below.)
Tag: poverty
Quote of Note #235: On the Right Use of Wealth
"If one who takes the clothing off another is called a thief, why give any other name to the one who can clothe the naked and refuses to do so? " Basil the Great (for full quote click link below)
Quote of Note #222: Ethical Capitalism & the Danger of Wealth
"Why is wealth such a threat...? First, wealth allows the rich to separate themselves from others--to become independent of others and isolated from the needs of others." L. Sweet
Quote of Note #208: Compassion as Social Critique
"Thus the compassion of Jesus is to be understood not simply as a personal emotional reaction but as a public criticism in which he dares to act upon his concern against the entire numbness of his social context." W. Brueggemann
Quote of Note #200: Caring for the Weak & Vulnerable
"We do justice and God smiles."
Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
"But the truth is that there is enough time and enough wealth to go around. The people in the churches every Sunday outnumber the people who are on the streets and the number of people who are on welfare. If the church took up the responsibility of caring for the poor, of living internationally, of … Continue reading Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
Quote of Note #61 — Generosity and Compassion
"There are people who are known to be very liberal [generous], yet they never give without scolding or pride or even insolence. We are sunk to such a depth of calamity in this awful age that scarcely any alms are given, at least by the majority of men, without haughtiness and contempt. The corruption of … Continue reading Quote of Note #61 — Generosity and Compassion
Bible Note #23: Blessing without Regard to Deserving & the Gracious Heart of God
Proverbs 21:12-13 [NET] The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked; he overthrows the wicked to their ruin. The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered. It runs counter, I think, to our stereotypical understanding of the book of Proverbs … Continue reading Bible Note #23: Blessing without Regard to Deserving & the Gracious Heart of God
Bible Note #21: Proverbs 14:31–The Heart of God and the Poor
“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Proverbs 14:31 [NIV] We have here an antithetical parallelism. The two halves of the couplet contrast with each other, and in that way the writer shows us one key truth by showing us both sides of the … Continue reading Bible Note #21: Proverbs 14:31–The Heart of God and the Poor
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 