How do we know that we should care for the needy and afflicted?

Caring for the needy and afflicted is a core teaching of Scripture that reflects God's own love for us. In Isaiah 58, God calls His people to draw out their souls to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted. This is reiterated in 1 John 3, where it states that we should not love in word or tongue, but in deed and truth. As we recognize our own sinful state and the grace we have received from Christ, we are compelled to reach out to those in need, reflecting the love He has shown us. True Christian love is active and seeks the welfare of others, making it an essential duty for believers.