Jesus’ statement that “the poor you will always have with you” has often been misused—as if he were telling us to make sure that we always have some poor people around! But his admonition is in fact a basis for Christian realism.

If our motivation is to “cure” poverty—and all disease and homelessness—we are bound to become disillusioned. But knowing that in our sinful world we will always have these horrible problems should not discourage us from working at addressing the issues—both by meeting immediate needs, and by seeking to correct the systemic factors that make them such enduring curses on the human condition. Indeed, to know that our efforts as believers will not be assessed in terms of immediate results is a powerful basis for keeping at the task. For followers of Jesus, “success” in serving the needy will happen when we hear our Savior say, on the Last Day, “Well done! In serving them you served me!”