Subject: Caring for the Poor - Dueteronomy 13-15

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 (ESV Strong's)
“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

Subject:  Care for the Poor

We react to the poor when we sense they are poor due to their own bad choices.  We lose our mercy when we think they are poor because they are getting what they deserve.   However, in the nation of Israel, God actually had a system to care for the poor and God, Himself, draws little discussion as to the reason they are poor.  Yes, there are some New Testament passages that talk about working and making sure laziness is not rewarded.  But, note what one commentary states about the above couple of verse.  Verses that speak of a "tithe" (something we give to God) known as the "triennial tithe."   This was a tithe to God via opening our blessings to the poor:

(UBC OT) The triennial tithe. This use of the tithe in the third year is a unique provision of Deuteronomy, not found in the other texts. Its importance, however, is underlined by the repetition of its obligation in the solemn religious affirmations of 26:12–15. This triennial tithe was an element of Israel’s welfare system for the relief of poverty. Other provisions included the annual gleaning rights (24:19–22), the sabbatical fallow year (cf. Exod. 23:11), and the range of legislation regarding debt, etc. The OT makes a structural, systemic response to economic disparities. Proper storage and controlled distribution of these food stocks would have needed careful supervision, monitoring, and accounting by the civil authorities. Probably the administration of this “social fund” fell among the other responsibilities of community elders. In other words, care for the poor was structured into the regular economic life of the nation. It was not left to private charity. Rather, it was a public duty that the weakest and poorest should also be enabled to eat and be satisfied from the blessing of Yahweh on the whole nation. Only thus, indeed, would that blessing abide (v. 29b). Only by sharing the blessing would the blessing continue—a central spiritual and ethical principle (cf. 15:14, 18).

We are not in the Old Testament anymore.  However, this triennial tithe does show us the character of God and His desire for us all to show mercy on those who have less than us.   It is a "tithe" that is obligatory to God!.