“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that wearth the gay clothing and say unto him. Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4)

    I have never heard a message based on the above reference in any church nor has it come out in any Christian monthly. A Church should not have the rich and poor separately. There are certain churches where the first few rows are reserved only for the rich who rarely come to church. According to the above verses in James, we find this system of segregating the rich and poor is wrong. In certain places, there are churches meant only for the rich. Churches are split on the basis of caste. Nowadays the spirit of division is breaking every church. The rich and the poor can sit anywhere in the church. Even in the first century we see the pathetic condition in the church. This situation must change. God loves everybody and he has prepared a place for all those who accept him as their Lord and Saviour.

    JESUS CHRIST was born in this world in a very poor condition in a stable. He lived a very poor life as a Carpenter’s son. He never cast away any poor who came to Him. He respected the poor and the rich in like manner. JESUS never possessed a house but instead he slept on the bottom of a ship. JESUS said “The foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the son of man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). A church which always respects the rich and the affluent has no place for JESUS who came as a poor man in all his humility. Even JESUS will not come to such Churches.

    “…Ye have despised the poor”. (James 2:6) Truly nowadays the poor is despised everywhere.

    A famous preacher was invited to preach in a house meeting in a particular place. This so called famous preacher thought within himself “Should I accept the invitation to preach in a poor man’s residence?”. He never went to that house. A few days later in the same locality a rich man who often goes abroad invited this famous preacher to his house meeting. Immediately this so called fa preacher ran to this rich man’s residence to deliver the Lord’s word. Why is this hypocrisy! Today hundreds of preachers are like this. Woe to such a preacher! JESUS CHRIST, who loves the poor people, feels sorry for this kind of hypocrite preachers. There is no difference in heaven. We will all go there one day.

    “And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Rev 22:12). We cannot get into heaven by our money power. Money can take us to every place in this world and to Hell also.

    Sadhu Sundar Singh belonged to a very rich family; After he came to JESUS CHRIST he lived a very simple life. He would sleep on the streets and by lanes. Multitudes came to hear his message wherever he went. He had no desire for money. Even today Sadhu Sundar Singh is still a well-known person among Christians in India and all over the world. God’s gift to India, Amy Carmichael was a light to the poor and down -trodden. Her work among the poor is commendable. Her concern for the poor and dying revealed the love of JESUS CHRIST. The compassion of JESUS flowed through Amy Carmichael in India. Many preach that JESUS touched the leper but Amy Carmichael did it every day. Yes preach what you practice, if not don’t preach. Ziegen balg and many missionaries had used their hats to get rice porridge to drink and fill their stomach. Missionaries forsook their pleasure and lived for the poor and spread Gospel, in this land. Today we rarely come across this kind of sacrifice. Let us not despise the poor. Even in the ministry let there be equality among people from various sections to serve God.

    “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker” (Prov 17:5)