Caring for those in need is a fundamental aspect of God's character and will for humanity. The book of Proverbs emphasizes the importance of generosity towards the poor, teaching that kindness to them is a loan to the Lord, who will repay it. In Matthew, Jesus teaches that serving the hungry and thirsty is equivalent to serving Him directly, highlighting the significance of this act of love. The wisdom literature of Proverbs also warns that neglecting the poor invites judgment, while helping them brings blessing, as seen in passages such as Proverbs 19:17 and Proverbs 28:27.
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For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns. When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said. And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About five thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.
as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.