Slum Dog Millionaire has caught the world’s attention. The movie brings the squalor, the filth and the stench of the life of the underdogs of Mumbai’s Dharavi slum right before your eyes. It hits you hard with its stunning reality of abuse, poverty and pain. This is only one example of India’s poverty. This article is not about glorifying slums, poverty or the dark under belly of Mumbai. It is not about eradicating poverty either. It is not even about turning a millionaire over night.

No matter who they are – call center workers, sex workers, outcastes, beggars, women, street children, victims of communal violence, the chaiwallahs or the dabbawallahs –each of them is a face in the crowd.

God commands us concerning them. Deut. 15:7, Prov. 31:8. Prov 14:31. He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God. We see that His heart goes deeper still: He identifies with the poor; 2 Cor 8:9, Prov 14:31. God not only takes the side of the poor; in the very alarming parable of the sheep and the goats he speaks of salvation as depending on how we treat the poorest and the most afflicted. Another thing to note about God’s Word about helping the poor is the lack of excuses. None of them add “…once a year” or “…when you feel you can” or “…if they’re moral” or “…if they are of your community” or “…if they speak my language”.

And what about the millionaire or the crorepati? Read Lk 18:18-30. This man was a capitalist with the right question but the wrong motive. Perhaps he cared most of all in investing in his own business, wealth and power.