阅读经文 

耶稣教导跟随祂的人很多关于神国的事，而看顾穷人是祂高度重视的议题，我们可以在财主和拉撒路的比喻中看到这一点。拉撒路是一个穷人，他浑身生疮、而且食不果腹。他躺在一个奢华宴乐的财主家门口，但他被视而不见，没有人理会他的需要。

穷人死后被带到亚伯拉罕那里得安息，他的凄苦终于得到了安慰。那个财主也死了，他被打发到阴间，在那里受痛苦。他恳求痛苦得舒缓，又请求派人去警告他的兄弟。亚伯拉罕解释说，他们中间有一个不能越过的深渊，而且这人的兄弟早已有了他们所需的一切律法的指引。

神教导我们爱邻舍，并以公平待穷人，这个深渊就是背弃这些教导带来的后果。圣经中有很多这样的教导，提醒我们神关爱贫穷的人、为他们伸冤、“为穷乏人辨屈”。（参诗 140:12）

在今天，世界上有大约7亿8千万人过着贫困的生活，他们因饥饿、疾病和脆弱而受苦，其中原因往往相当复杂，然而实际情况却很简单：他们有极大的需要。神的话语仍然在提醒我们，祂是特别看顾穷人的，而我们也可效法耶稣的榜样，去爱我们的邻舍。

Jesus taught his followers many things about the kingdom of God. Care for the poor was high on his agenda, as we see in his parable about the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus, a poor man, was covered with sores and was hungry. He lay outside the gate of a wealthy man who lived in luxury. But he was ignored, and his needs went unmet.

When the poor man died, he was taken to rest with Abra­ham, where he finally was comforted. And when the rich man died, he was consigned to Hades, where he was in torment. He pleaded for relief and begged for a warning to be sent to his brothers. Abraham explained that there was an impassable gap between them, and that the man’s brothers already had all the instructions they needed.

The gap is the result of ignoring God’s teachings about neighbor love and justice for the poor. These teachings are plentiful in the Bible, reminding us that God loves the poor, demands justice for them, and “upholds the cause of the needy” .(Psalm 140:12)

Today about 780 million people live in poverty and suffer from hunger, disease, and vulnerability. The reasons are often complex, but the reality is simple: there is great need. God’s Word still reminds us of his special care for the poor. And we have the example of Jesus to follow as we love our neighbors.