Prayers

#539 - A Loved One is On Welfare
Volume 2 - Prayers to Love Our Neighbor

Dear Father, my loved one is on welfare. What strikes me today is that their problem is my problem. Father, let's assume they have totally messed up their life. They have made all kinds of bad choices that have resulted in their needing government assistance. Do You call me to walk away from them? Am I to judge and punish them by being disengaged from their situation? Father, You didn't tell us in Your Word why the man, whom the Good Samaritan helped, lay beaten at the side of the road? Was he a criminal? Had he abused someone's child? Was he in great gambling debt? Had he raped a woman and her family got revenge? Was he an alcoholic? Your Word doesn't tell us. However, Your Word does tell us to follow the Good Samaritan's example and love those in need. In fact, this story tells us that we are to invest our time and even our money into the recovery of a person in need. We are to sacrifice ourselves so someone else can get back on their feet. Father, my loved one may be on welfare for all the wrong reasons. That doesn't make a difference. I'm to care for them anyway. They may be on welfare for no fault of their own. They may have had an abusive childhood. They may have been born into poverty. They may have had to work minimum wage instead of going to college. They may have been abandoned after they became pregnant. Jobs in their industry may have gone overseas. Father, I need to be compassionate to this person. Please help me to pay some of their bills. Please help me to help them obtain new job skills or complete their education. Please help me to give them dignity, letting them know they are just as loved by You as anyone else is. Please help me to stand with them and not show any shame. Father, this is a test of my relationship with You. How much am I willing to show Your unconditional love? Amen.

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