1 Timothy 6:17-19

Making Room for the Poor

Jesus said that the poor will always be among us (Mark 14:7). This means our call to make room for the poor will never expire. But as soon as we say we need to make room for the poor in our lives, we’re tempted to start drawing lines that aim to define what qualifies someone as ‘poor.’ Do we mean a homeless person? A refugee? Someone who earns less than we do?

“The poor” are those who lack sufficient resources to live comfortably be the standards of their own environment. When Jesus said that we will always have the poor with us, He was referring to this world only. Paul says the same thing about material wealth. The material things we possess belong only to this life, so we dare not set our hopes on them (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Instead, we are called to make room for the poor in our lives because, materially speaking, nothing can be taken beyond the limits of this life. No one really owns anything.

So, Paul tells the wealthy not to hoard their resources, but rather to use them to do good. In fact, one of the ways we can do good is by making room for the poor at our tables, in our budgets, and on our calendars. Scripture calls the wealthy to be generous and open-handed, ready to share. In other words, we are to use our resources as people who have the next life in view – the eternal life into which we will carry nothing except for the grace and name of Christ.

¹⁷ Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. ¹⁹ By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19