I went to Hidalgo Street at Quiapo, Manila and I happened to passed by Quiapo Cathedral. A beggar in front of the Church caught my attention. Quiapo Church is famous not only for its structure, but also for its role in the history of the Philippines. In front of the church is a large plaza where vendors sell refreshments and people talk and laugh. Two or three steps off the plaza will take you to a wide sidewalk that faces a major roadway of Manila. This is where I saw the beggar.
The beggar was a small man; made smaller by the fact that his legs were only stumps. Then, as if to emphasize his lack of stature, he sat on a small wooden platform with wheels. The man, with his worn face and pleading voice, moved around by pushing his hands against the ground as if he were rowing a boat. I remember wanting to get away from him. I escaped by walking through the streets to Recto but he was still with me.
Manila, where the Quiapo Church is located is probably the most developed city in the Philippines yet, despite its amazing growth and development, the city displays much poverty. Scenes like these are not only seen in the Metro, but in the whole country as well.
Even throughout much of the world, poverty survives as the norm and not the exception. Why are they poor and why are we not? It is not the lack of a work ethic. If anything, they put us to shame by their industry. And the ingenious ways in which they survive testify to their intelligence. Perhaps it is culture, corruption, government, heritage, or lack of opportunity. But it makes me think. Why them and not me? Some say our wealth comes from our Christian heritage. But Japan shares the wealth of the western world without sharing her God. The answers do not come easy.
Jesus told us that we have the poor with us always. But why are they here? Certainly, they give us an opportunity to minister. But there must be more. What are we to learn from them? David, though king of Israel, testified that he was “poor and needy” (Psalm 40:17). God promised to look to him “that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). The first beatitude is reserved for those who are “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). What can I learn from the poor? How am I to be poor?
This takes me back to the beggar in front of Quiapo Church. Please consider him. He is of small stature. If I would please God, I must be small in my own eyes. He cannot walk where he would please. I am helpless to live the holy life my God demands or to accomplish anything of lasting value on my own. The beggar depends on the generosity of others for his very existence. I must rely entirely upon the grace of God for my spiritual life and well-being.
God wants to find us poor and needy. We seek our own importance. He seeks those who deny themselves. We desire the comforts and pleasures of this world. God desires to have us wholly and without reservation. Am I willing to become poor for the sake of my Saviour? Would I become the beggar on the sidewalk in order to please God? This is exactly what Christ did for me. Paul told us that, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). He left all the riches of heaven so that He could be born as a babe in a manger and give His life a ransom for all. Lord, You became poor for me. Help me, that I may become poor for Thee.
