“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate.” Proverbs 22:22

Beloved, today we pause to reflect on a weighty question: How do we rob the poor? The Word of God warns us not to exploit or overlook the vulnerable simply because they lack power or voice. But too often—even within the Church—we are guilty of exactly that.

We rob the poor when we ignore their cries. Proverbs 21:13 says, “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.” God hears the cry of the oppressed. Do we?

We rob the poor when we make the Church a place of status, not service. James 2:1-4 reminds us not to favor the rich over the poor. But have we not sometimes reserved front rows for the well-dressed while ignoring the struggling mother at the back?

We rob the poor when we withhold justice. Isaiah 10:1–2 says, “Woe to those who make unjust laws… to deprive the poor of their rights.” When we stay silent about corruption, unequal education, abuse, or hunger in our communities, we become part of the oppression God condemns.

We rob the poor when we exploit their desperation. How often have “seed offerings” been demanded from the poor in exchange for promises of breakthroughs—while no real help is offered for their daily survival?

We also rob the poor by our indifference. Not caring is a form of robbery. When we could have helped and didn’t, we withheld from them what God gave us to steward on their behalf.

Yet hope remains. The early church in Acts 4:34 had “no needy person among them,” because believers shared freely. The gospel is good news to the poor—and the Church must live that message.

Let us repent. Let us examine not only what we give, but what we withhold. Let us return to the heart of God—who is “a defender of the poor and needy” (Psalms 140:12).

May we be known not for robbing the poor, but for lifting them. For when we honor the poor, we honor the Lord. “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17).