Chapter 31 of Proverbs contains "the words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him." He begins by saying that strong drink should not be imbibed by kings lest they "forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted." It should rather be given to "him to is perishing...him whose life is bitter," so that he may "forget his poverty and remember his trouble no more." In other words, as a palliative to him who is so ruined already that there is nothing left in his life to ruin.
Immediately following this are the words, "Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy." (Prov. 31:8-9, NASB)
In my post on hopelessness, I was writing mainly of an emotional condition, but often conditions of circumstantial hopelessness and helplessness accompany those same emotional states, and vice-versa. Often the afflicted can't speak for themselves, or don't know how, or do but no one will listen, or are afraid that no one will listen. Those of us who have been well cared for need to recognize that the maxim, "God helps those who help themselves," doesn't apply to those who can't help themselves. We also need to recognize that, even when we have the means necessary to tend to our own needs, we are far more dependent upon others than perhaps we would like to think.
Those who fancy themselves independent, and even those who lament the individuation of our society, need to realize that it is still people that make and run the machines that provide our consumables and other services, even if we never see or get to know them. It is still people who have created the machinery that runs our society. (Society has in many ways become less personalized, yet we are no less dependent upon others than mankind has ever been.)
And it's just not true that the one who trusts God and works hard and righteously will have all his basic earthly needs met. It's just not true. He (or she) may certainly achieve final glory in Christ, but may perish in earthly abjection or dejection, here on this earth.
I'd like to suggest that one of the most effective ways to reach "the culture" and the world-at-large with the gospel might be to stand up for the helpless and voiceless, such as when we speak up for unborn babies and those on life-support, for children, for the abused, for the injured and ill, and even for those who aren't in power but have something valuable to offer. Those who have voice or can help -- those who have power of some sort, even if only the power to speak to those in power -- must use this power to speak for the voiceless, the unfortunate, the afflicted, and the needy, judging rightly where real needs and true justice lie.
This is opposed to using the unfortunate by ignoring or exploiting them to get ahead, which is perverting the rights of the afflicted. It is (or should be), I believe, the heart of the social gospel.
(edited 5/19)
