Don't hide yourself

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh? – Isaiah 58.6-7

The second half of this description of a proper fast switches from spiritual needs to physical. For most of my Christian life I heard very little about our need to take care of the physical needs of other. Now that I have studied I realise that this teaching runs al the way through the word of God and it is not just a mention, but a major part of what it means to God’s people.

Share your bread with the hungry
Bring the poor castaways into your homes
Cloth the naked
Don’t hide yourself from your fellow man

I am tempted to really go off on world issues here, but I think I am better off to just deal with the context we are in. This is all about the attitudes and action that go with true Bible fasting.

There is a major part of our ‘religious’ practice that deals with helping others. I don’t need to comment on most of this because it is pretty black and white.

The last point intrigues me because of it wording. The point here is that that Lord made all men of one flesh – everyone. Therefore how can we hide ourselves from our own flesh when he has a need?

Every person we see is one of us. Skin colour, nationality, religion, creed, or whatever. We are all made of one flesh. We are all of one blood. Everyone is 'our people.' How can we do anything but help them out?