Matthew Nath – Author

I’ve recently been pondering the question, what defines a Christian Culture?  We identify as Christian, but what does that really mean?  In Acts chapter 9, we see that early Christians were said to belong to “the Way,” indicating the following Christ comes with a separate behavior or lifestyle.  We also see God calling the Isrealites to be a Holy people – set apart to live as an example to the nations.

And all that is great for the apostles, or the Isrealites living in ancient Canaan, but what does it mean for me?  For a 35 year old dude living in small town Minnesota in 2024?  How do I engage in a Christian Culture?  I’m planning a series of articles discussing several different aspects that I think should be defining features of a Christian Culture.  Things we can all agree are good, Christian things that we should do.  The first of these is providing care for the poor.

In Deutoronomy 15, God tells us, “There need be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all of these commands I am giving you today.”  So if we just obey God’s commands, we will have no poor among us!  Great!  I don’t know about you, but that’s a struggle for me.  It seems so simple but I still find myself falling into sin time and time again.

Maybe that’s why we hear from Jesus in Matthew’s gospel account: “The poor you will always have with you…”  Jesus recognized that, until he returns to set things right, people will always disobey God.  At least some, and therefore we will always have poor among us.  So if we look to Jesus, how does he treat the poor?  We see him born as a poor peasant, a son of a servant to the poor.  Throughout his ministry, Jesus spends time traveling with the poor, providing teaching, encouragement, and healing.  Our God has always been the God of the poor, the downcast, the lost.  He cares for the widow and the orphan, and calls us to do so as well.

This calls to mind a great program in our community that does just that!  I see it as an example we should be celebrating and pointing to as a highlight of a Christian Culture.  The program I’m talking about is the Burial Assistance Program provided by Southwest Health and Human Services.  This is an amazing program that ensures that the poorest of our residents are provided deathcare services to maintain dignity and allow their family members to start a healthy grief journey.

This is exactly the ideal that we should be modeling in a Christian Culture.  If the poorest among us are in need of care, I would be honored to provide that care.  That is a way I am able to use my unique gifts and skills that God has blessed me with to serve those he loves most on this Earth.  And I get to share the gospel with the lost, provide care and comfort to the hurting.  It is truly an amazing thing and is something that any of you are also able to do.

You can do it by attending funeral services.  Care for the poor can also mean care for those who are poor in spirit.  Those who are suffering; grieving; mourning. Your presence in the lives of your friends and family during their times of loss is more valuable than I can put words to, really.  And all it takes is being there.  Don’t worry about saying the right words, just try not to say the wrong ones.  (Examples of those would be: “I can’t imagine what you’re going through,” or “I guess God needed another angel.”)  Just be honest with how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, and if you don’t know what to say, just don’t say anything.  Give them a hug, look them in the eyes, and show them you’re sorry.  But be there.  And remind them they are not alone.

What else can we do?  Well, to circle back to where this article started, we can care for the poor among us.  What that looks like is different for each of us, I think.  We all have our own circles of influence, but I know that there are poor within each of those circles.  And we are each called to help in our own ways.  For me, I am honored to be able to offer funeral services to everyone and especially those who can’t afford it at all.  But I’ve also got work to do.  I can think of a lot of people around me who could use encouragement and care.  I bet we can all think of at least someone.  Let’s agree to try to reach out to them this week!