Successful People Help the Poor

If you want to live a successful life, the Bible offers some countercultural instruction: Serve the poor!

How can serving the poor help you be successful? The Bible gives numerous reasons. Here are just a few of them: 

It will make you happy. “If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone” (Proverbs 14:21 GNT).

You’ll honor God. “Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14:31 NCV).

It will make you a better leader. “Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly” (Proverbs 29:14 MSG). 

I’ve seen this in my own life. Some of you know my story. When I wrote The Purpose Driven Life, the book became a huge global success.

And because the first line of the book read, “It’s not about you,” it was pretty easy to realize that any money or influence that came from it wasn’t meant for me. So—among other decisions that we made at the time—my wife, Kay, and I started Acts of Mercy, a foundation to help the poor and the vulnerable suffering with AIDS.

The book’s success was not about me. It was all about God.

Proverbs 31:8-9 particularly spoke to me during this time: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (NIV).

That’s what successful people do. They stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

What kind of success has God given you? Is it money? Is it influence in your community? Is it a supportive circle of friends and family around you? Take some time today to consider how you can use that success to serve those with less.