A Heart for the Poor
Once, there was a woman who was renowned for her love of the poor.
She gave generously and consistently out of her own income. Up to half of what she earned, she gave away to those in need. Always, her giving was done in secret. She took seriously Jesus’ instruction not to let her left hand know what her right hand was doing, so that the Father, seeing what was done in secret, would give her the true reward (Matt. 6:3-4).
After work each day, she made time to volunteer at food pantries and shelters. Not only did she volunteer, she often took the humblest jobs – cleaning toilets, doing the dishes, disposing of rotten food. She held firmly to Jesus’ teaching that those who give even a cup of cold water in his name will not fail to receive their reward (Matt. 10:42).
More than any of this, she was well-known for her kindness to the poor. She did not simply serve them but knew their names and their stories. She befriended them and welcomed them into her home. She did her best to really love them and honor their humanity, rather than treat them as projects or problems to be fixed. Often, the words of James Forbes echoed in her mind: “No one gets into heaven without a letter of reference from the poor.”
For all of this, people spoke well of her. Her friends would often say, “She just has a heart for the poor.”
Seeing all of this, one day Satan came to test her.
He showed her a vision of all the people living in poverty in her city. Some she recognized and knew by name. But many others she did not know. And Satan said to her, “I will make it so that none of these people ever goes hungry again. They will have warm homes, and clean clothes, and safe neighborhoods. They will be given a good education, have the best medical care, and will not lack friends. And I will do all of this as long as you agree to these terms: that you will never give money to anyone ever again, you will never volunteer to help anyone ever again, and that you will never invite anyone who is in need into your home ever again. In short, if you agree to no longer care for the poor, then I will care for them perfectly.”
Knowing that this was a test, she immediately rejected Satan’s offer, saying, “God has not called me to eradicate poverty; indeed, our Lord himself has said that the poor shall always be with us (Matt. 26:11). Instead, God has called me to love the poor so that I might be worthy of inheriting the kingdom of God – for whatever I do for the least of these, I do for him, and whatever I do not do for the least of these, I have not done for him (Matt. 25:40, 45).”
As soon as she gave her answer, Satan vanished, and she was once again alone.
Shaking and overwhelmed by the encounter, she immediately went to God in prayer. Relieved that she had passed the test, she thanked Christ for giving her the strength to overcome Satan.
However, she was further shocked when, in response to her prayer, Christ appeared to her in a vision.
Christ approached her and gently put his arm around her, and said:
“My daughter, I do not want you to be deceived, so I must tell you that you did not pass this test. Satan has overcome you and you did not know it.
And I have now come to tell you to repent. For it is not the poor that you love, but yourself.”
