My wife and I were recently on a date, searching for her Christmas gift. I’m not much of a shopper and hadn’t set foot in a mall or outlet store in months. As we shopped, I couldn’t help but overhear several conversations about the difficulty of buying gifts for people who “have everything.” Most of us know someone like that—some of us know many. We’ll spend hours online and in stores searching for the perfect gift for someone who doesn’t actually need anything.
The next morning, I encountered a very different scene. An elderly woman who attends programs at the church I pastored for 28 years was outside early, on a cold morning with a steady mix of snow and ice falling. It was garbage day, and she was walking down the street collecting recycling cans and bottles. Her husband passed away years ago, and she lives alone. She has very little and gathers what she can each week to supplement her income and make ends meet (the church also walks alongside her). I stopped to speak with her for several minutes. Despite her circumstances, she was full of joy, delighting in the celebration of the incarnation at Christmas.
The contrast was striking. Many of us spend hours at Christmas contemplating what to purchase for someone who doesn’t need anything—something Scripture never commands—while giving far less thought to how we might care for those who have very little or nothing, something Scripture repeatedly calls us to do.
The incarnation reminds us that God the Son willingly laid aside the comfort and glory of heaven to enter our broken, sinful world in order to save us. He held nothing back to reconcile us to Himself. In Christ, we have been adopted into God’s family and can rejoice in His saving work.
If you live in an urban centre, you encounter poverty regularly. You pass encampments, see people clustered in certain neighbourhoods, or are approached for spare change at intersections. These realities are easy to ignore, especially during a season focused on celebration and abundance.
Yet when we look at the ministry of Jesus, we see that He spent significant time among the poor and marginalized. He healed the blind, the deaf, and the lame. He never rebuked beggars for begging; instead, He showed compassion, dignity, and mercy.
In Luke 14, Jesus rebukes a wealthy host for inviting only friends and social equals to his banquet. Instead, He commands, “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” He then tells a parable revealing that the kingdom of God will be filled with those the world overlooks.
So how should we respond this Christmas?
First, there should be no needy among us
Care for the poor begins in the local church. Acts 2 records that believers shared with anyone who had need, and Acts 4 explains that their generosity resulted in there being “no needy person among them.” This was not enforced equality, but faithful generosity—everyone did not have the same amount, but everyone had enough.
James echoes this truth when he writes that wishing a brother or sister well while failing to provide for their basic needs reveals a dead faith (James 2:15–17). Healthy congregational care ensures that brothers and sisters are housed, fed, and clothed. Those in need must be encouraged to share their burdens, and those with more—most of us—are called to share what God has entrusted to us.
Second, we have an obligation to believers beyond our congregation
Many suburban or rural churches may have few impoverished members, yet poverty is often concentrated in nearby urban centres where access to housing, food, and transit is critical. Scripture makes clear that our responsibility does not stop at our church doors.
Three times in the Epistles, the apostle Paul mentions taking up an offering for the Jerusalem church. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul states that it is for the relief of those living in Jerusalem, and in Romans 15 he writes that it is for their aid.
Third, we are called to care for the poor around us
Scripture consistently commands God’s people to care for those in poverty—both corporately and personally. Jesus’ words in Luke 14 and James’s exhortation in James 1:27 make clear that caring for the poor is not optional or peripheral to Christian faith. Churches should partner with faithful gospel-centered ministries, and individual believers should look for tangible ways to show mercy.
Unlike government or social service agencies, we care for the poor in Jesus’ name, directing them to Him.
So what should we do, practically?
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Talk with your pastor about how your church seeks to ensure there are no needy among you. Consider giving financially or volunteering your time to support those within your congregation who are struggling.
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Ask about gospel-centred churches and ministries in your city—or the nearest city—and begin supporting their work through financial generosity and the skills God has entrusted to you.
This Christmas, may we spend more time prayerfully considering how to care for those who have little, and less time obsessing over how to buy gifts for those who already have everything. As the poor are cared for, may their lives be directed to God’s love found supremely in the person and work of our Saviour, Jesus.
