The following are quotes from the late Dr. Lewis B. Smedes' book, Mere Morality - what God Expects From Ordinary People):
"Maybe the prophets wanted the rich to invite the poor into their homes, maybe they wanted the poor to be befriended and supported by gentle arms of friends. Maybe friendliness. But at least justice, at least the rights of the poor respected."
"A baby born, through no choice of her own, into a poverty stricken family has a right to nourishing food, a warm bed, and loving care. But as she grows, she also has a need to flourish as a human being. She needs education and books, music, access to dentists and doctors, and a chance to develop her gifts for creative work."
"Justice also respects the responsibility of the needy person. Justice says that a person who chooses to be poor should be allowed to have what he chooses. Nor will justice allow us - for loves sake - to assume responsibility for other people's mistakes. If my neighbor goes deeply into debt for luxuries he bought with his credit card, and then habitually expects me to pay his heating bill, justice holds back the hand of love. If my neighbors business is on the verge of ruin, because he is incompetent and lazy, justice may require love to let his business fail, and then help him find another line of work."
Recommended reading (from today's headlines!):
Oxfam: 42 People Now Have as Much as 3.7 Billion - newser.com
