Jon writes:
The statement is rather unusual for Jesus. It's repeated in three gospels and has held some good weight in circles of Christians who believe it can be used to relieve them of the burdensome charge of helping the poor:
Of course using the idea that Jesus said that "the poor you will always have with you" as an escape clause so that you don't have to sacrifice what you have, is a very un-Christ position to take.
What does it mean to be poor. It is a comparative term. Compared to someone living on welfare I am rich but compared to Bill Gates I am poor. The guy living on welfare is well off compared to the guy starving to death on the streets of some third world country.
Jesus was absolutely right to say that the poor will always be with us. Our God ordained job as humans is to improve the lot of those that we are able to help as best we can. It is about having hearts that love others as ourselves.
As far as the woman in the story is concerned she has just committed an act of self sacrificing love. Sure in practical terms she might have sold the perfume and given the proceeds to the poor but the point is that her heart was in the right place.
Edited by GDR, : grammar
He has told you, O man, what is good ; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
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