Derek and The dominoes: "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out"

This is so true among the people of the world. Folks tend to congregate around those whom they admire, particularly if they're wealthy. It's why famous people need to hire guards to safeguard their privacy.

This song by Derek and The Dominoes describes how down-and-out folks are treated by the world. Listen to it here:

We, whom Christ rescued from hell, mustn't despise poor people. As we read in James 2:1-4 (Bible in Basic English), "My brothers, if you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, do not take a man's position into account. For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing, And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take this good place; and you say to the poor man, 'Take up your position there,' or 'be seated at my feet;' Is there not a division in your minds? have you not become judges with evil thoughts?"

And as we understand from Deuteronomy 15:11 (BBE), "For there will never be a time when there are no poor in the land; and so I give orders to you, Let your hand be open to your countrymen, to those who are poor and in need in your land."

God takes abuse of impoverished people seriously. As Psalms 10:14 (BBE) states, "You have seen it; for your eyes are on sorrow and grief, to take it into your hand: the poor man puts his faith in you; you have been the helper of the child who has no father."

In fact, we'll be blessed when we help destitute souls. Psalms 41:1 (BBE) reminds us, "<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> Happy is the man who gives thought to the poor; the Lord will be his saviour in the time of trouble."

Those who oppress impoverished people will certainly be punished by God. As Psalms 109:15 and 16 (BBE) says of  the wicked, "Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth. Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted."

A friend told me that when she was a street person, she attended a certain downtown church. The priest came up to her after the service and told her never to return and that she wasn't welcome. No wonder some folks condemn Christians for lacking compassion.

If our Master hasn't come for us by Saturday, I'll feature a popular song about praying.