Psalms 41:1  "Blessed is he that considers the poor: The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble."

Also Proverbs 19:17  "He that has pity upon the poor, lends to the Lord;  and that which he has given (to the poor) he (God) will pay him again."  Giving to the poor is a loan that God will repay.

My problem is that I don't cross paths with poor people.  Or at least I didn't think that I did.  My town is a middle class small town.  I don't know but one poor person in my church.  I'm sure there must be more people out there who are poor, but people are proud and sometimes it's hard to find out where they are hurting.

Sometimes you have to be more sensitive than was my habit.

I a couple of months ago, I found a poor person by accident.  And now I am accountable to God.  I can't help but wonder if we avoid poor people so that we aren't responsible for them.  Or we excuse our responsibility by judging them and noting that they wouldn't be in the mess they are in if they had made better choices.  But God doesn't make that differentiation.  He just says pity them.  And help them.

This poor person works full time, overtime, and nights if she can get the work.  But even if she worked all day and all night, I doubt she could make it.  Her job requires a car.  And car insurance.  She lives in a trailer, and her heat and electric bills higher than mine are.

God is the one who puts people in our paths.  He will--in turn--deliver us if we get into trouble.

Pity doesn't judge.  With pity, our help for the poor is a loan to God.  Help the poor person you know.  And if you are afraid you will get snared, do things in secret.  Works better that way anyhow.