Leonard Black, Baptist minister in Va., laments that “enormities of slavery” had little impact on professing American Christians. Though they spilled blood to establish own freedom, 2.5 million await the same. Are they unaware?

Everyone was aware: tons of pastors spoke against it. No “men of their times.”

What can you do to learn more of enormities of slavery, and fight today’s “men of their times” arguments?

Richard Younge, Calvinistic tract writer, lists five ways the Bible provided for the poor and strangers. Four are gleaning-related, where the poor were allowed to enter your property to harvest from the edges or gather dropped or odd fruit. The other was portion of tithe.

Would we accept poor people wandering onto your property? And then object to the cash transfer of the tithe? How can your business help the poor & strangers?

Robert MacCulloch, Scottish minister, reflects on Isaiah 58:7. He offers guidelines on taking the poor into your house. If not literally bring them in, have relief sent to them, to deliver those with no helper.

Christians love to write about being biblical, but I only know about the translation of “poor into house” through my reading of old stuff. Do we want a clean, convenient biblicality? Whom can you include this #christmas?