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BE GENEROUS TO THE POOR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6
Deuteronomy 15:7-11

Luke 18:22-27

 

“…sell all that thou hast,

and distribute unto the poor…”

 

BE GENEROUS TO THE POOR
 
All our possessions come from God, and He provides for our basic needs. Moses commanded Israel that when they settled in the new land, they could lend to other nations if that need arose, but they were not to borrow from them. This was a precaution lest those nations desired to reign over them.
 
Israel was not to harden their hearts nor shut their hands from their poor brethren. They were to be open and lend to those according to their needs, even when the year of release was nearing. Otherwise, they would fail to help their poor brethren. And the poor would cry to the Lord against them and it would become a sin for them when they were not willing to lend. He stressed this point in verse 10: “Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.” The poor would always be among them and the Lord insisted that they should open their hand wide to their poor and needy brethren, thus showing their love for their neighbours.
 
This act of generosity is enshrined in what the Lord Jesus Christ called the greatest commandment, that is to love your God, and your neighbour as yourself. This is also well described in this book. It is a means of blessing to the one who gives and also comfort to the one who receives. In the narrative of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22, he relied on and treasured his own riches. Thus when the Lord told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor, the desires of his heart were unmasked. He was rich and he did not want to part with his riches by doing good to the poor. Generosity towards the poor is a virtue that even the world recognises. God’s children must do better.
 
THOUGHT: My generosity is my testimony of my love for God.

PRAYER: Father, may I never close my bowels from the needs of the poor.

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