12 Promises from God For Those Who Help the Poor
God genuinely cares about the poor, so much so that He promises special blessings for those who will join Him in taking care of them.
If you want to find Jesus, go where the poor and needy are. If you want to experience the presence of God in a tangible way, begin to care for the poor. I have experienced this so many times.
The world may consider the poor unimportant or even despised, but this is not the way God sees them. We are told in Scripture that to oppress the poor is to reproach our Maker (Proverbs 14:31).
Jesus said that we will always have the poor among us (Matthew 26:11). There is something about taking care of the poor that allows you to touch the very heart of God.
Jeremiah 22:16 reveals something very special. It says that to take care of the poor is what it means to know God.
This shows how important caring for the poor is to God’s heart. When you take care of the poor, you are closer to God than ever.
He saw to it that justice and help were given the poor and the needy and all went well for him. This is how a man lives close to God. Jeremiah 22:16 TLB
He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord. Jeremiah 22:16 NLT
Because caring for the poor is so important to God, He guarantees certain blessings for those who will partner with Him to serve and care for the poor.
Here are 12 promises from the Bible for those who choose to help the poor:
1. You Will Lack Nothing
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. Proverbs 28:27 NLT
Woah! What a promise. How many ministries who care for the poor would be generously funded if people actually believed this promise.
This verse is a clear promise that those who give to the poor will not lack. If you want a fireproof method for not living in poverty, start giving to the poor.
2. You Will Be Happy
He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. Proverbs 14:21 NKJV
If you’ve ever directly cared for the poor, you know this one is true! There’s no joy you can experience like caring for people who truly need your help. Even people who don’t know the Lord experience Him when they give to the poor.
Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). There have been studies done on the brain that show there are more reward “happy” chemicals released when a person gives than when they receive. Giving actually makes you happier than receiving.
Caring for those who cannot repay you truly brings happiness in a way that nothing else can. We are most like our God when we give to those who cannot repay us.
3. You Will be Repaid by the Lord
When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord—and he pays wonderful interest on your loan! Proverbs 19:17 TLB
Although the poor can not repay you, God says He will. Anything you give to the poor is not a loss, it is actually a loan to the Lord!
I have stood on this promise many times throughout my life. God has always repaid in abundance what I have given to care for the poor.
One translation of this verse says the Lord will reward you!
4. God Will Rescue You in the Day of Trouble
Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. Psalm 41:1 NKJV
Wow! What a promise. What peace comes when you know that the Lord is standing by, ready to deliver you in a time of trouble. This passage of Scripture goes on to say that God will preserve you, keep you alive, and many other promises.
5. You Will Receive a Special Blessing of Healing
The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. Psalm 41:3
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, Isaiah 58:8
Although healing has been purchased for everyone (Isaiah 53:3-5) and I included in our salvation, these verses indicate a special blessing of quick healing for those who take care of the poor, regardless of whether or not they have received salvation.
6. You Will be Blessed on the Earth
Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. Psalm 41: 1-2
This one verse covers just about everything you could need on the earth. The Hebrew word for blessed in this passage is the word âshar, and it means to advance, to prosper, to go on, to be happy.
He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 22:9
The phrase “will be blessed” in this verse means to kneel in adoration. This verse is saying that when you give your bread to the poor, God literally kneels down in adoration . Giving to the poor is God’s love language!
Psalm 41 says those who are kind to the poor will be made prosperous in the land.
7. You Will Have Treasure in Heaven
Mark 10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
When you spend your money to help people, you reap eternal rewards. This is what the parable of the unjust steward is all about (Luke 16). People whom you have helped with your money will welcome you into eternal life. I can’t think of any better way to spend money than to care for human beings.
In Luke 12:33, Jesus says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
This passage teaches us that giving to the poor is a way to store up treasure in heaven and to prioritize eternal rewards over earthly possessions.
8. God Will Preserve You and Keep You Alive
Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, Psalm 41:1-2
This verse reveals a special promise of protection for those who consider the poor! I’ve heard so many stories from missionaries who help the poor of supernatural protection and deliverance.
9. The Glory of the Lord will be Your Rear Guard
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,…. The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:7-8 NKJV
Again, we see a special promise of protection for those who take care of the poor.
10. Everything Will Go Well For You
He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord. Jeremiah 22:16 NLT
Do you want God on your side? When God is on your side, everything will go well with you. Helping the poor puts you on the same team with God Almighty.
11. The Lord Will Bless Your Work
You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Deuteronomy 15:10
This verse indicates that God will especially bless the work of those who give to the poor. God is personally seeing to it that your work is successful.
12. God Will Exalt You With Honor
Psalm 112:9 says that God will exalt you with honor you when you give to the poor.
He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted with honor. Psalm 112:9
When God exalts you with honor, you’re guaranteed to succeed.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-36, “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 invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
These verses reveal that when we help those in need, we actually do it for Him.
God Cares for the Poor
God’s heart is to take care of the poor. He never intended for people to live in poverty. Lack and poverty are a result of sin and death entering into the world. Never was it God’s original intent for people to suffer.
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. Isaiah 41:17
Even in the Old Testament, the Law of Moses protected the needy by supplying special legislation that gave a portion of the tithes to the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and 26:12-13), gave daily payment of wages rather than weekly or monthly (Leviticus 19:13), supplied them with the right to glean the fields (Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19-21), restored their land in the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:25-28), ), and provided justice for them and freedom from oppression (Exodus 23:6 and Deuteronomy 7:19).
God also promises to hear the prayers of the poor (Psalms 69:33) and to help them, shelter them, and provide for them (Psalms 72:12-13, 132:15; and Isaiah 41:17). God is truly a God who cares for the poor! If you are feeling called to help the poor, you can be sure that God is the one stirring up that desire in your heart.
