Withholding

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.Blogspot.com

There is something sad about withholding

Begrudging of ourselves and possessions

Which God finds prideful and revolting

Because the poor reap more oppressions

We seem to have some ambivalence – a degree of uncertainty in our public dialogue about how to respond to the poor and needy. Perhaps this is due in large part to the politicization and legislation of poverty over the last 400 years.  Whether it was Elizabethan Poor Laws in the 1600’s to Obamacare today; from the Charity Societies in early America to the United Way today, there appears to be no consensus – no method or principles of care upon which we can agree.

Even now the poor and needy, in massive numbers, wander through much of Europe in search of shelter and security.  They are joined by 60 million internally displaced people across the globe.

As we study poverty, we find marked extremes and contrasts.  Governments do fail their citizens, economies rise and fall in cycles, supply and demand are each driven by a myriad of influences – and we are all affected.  In the dark side of capitalism, unscrupulous and greedy people do manipulate markets and banks without regard to others.  There are undeserving, selfish, and conniving people that lie, cheat, and fake their way through a well-meaning but deeply flawed welfare system.  Yet, there are genuine, humble poor individuals needing and receiving assistance, and there are also generous, charitable people of wealth who give of themselves and their means.

There will come a day when we are worthy and prepared enough to live the Lord’s economic plan. Until then there is one common denominator.  Whether rich or poor, we are all God’s children, and He is concerned for both our spiritual and temporal welfare.  There is ample evidence from God’s word that He reserves His strongest, most vindictive judgements against those who withhold themselves and their goods from the poor.  Our meditative verse, “Withholding” addresses these concerns and suggests:

For are we not all beggars by every method of calculation

Who must not withhold ourselves, our goods or treasure

But be generous with our means in this mortal probation

Consecrating and blessing without reserve or measure

Withholding

And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, …. And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.

Book of Mormon   Helaman 4:12-13

There is something sad about withholding

Begrudging of ourselves and possessions

Which God finds prideful and revolting

Because the poor reap more oppressions

Self-centered and selfish souls

Withhold and the poor go without

And are smitten with empty doles

By legions of the greedy and undevout

May we be more like Christ’s exemplary life

Generous disciples of charitable deeds

Who strengthen feeble knees in their strife

And bless the poor in their conditions and needs

For are we not all beggars by every method of calculation

Who must not withhold ourselves, our goods or treasure

But be generous with our means in this mortal probation

Consecrating and blessing without reserve or measure

Larry Doyle Crenshaw