Generosity

"If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,' and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" -Deuteronomy 15.7-11

The people are about to enter the Promised Land, a place that is exceedingly good. God has provided a time of forgiveness with the seventh year, where all debt shall be erased. And Moses tells the people to generously give to the poor, regardless of what year it is. Moses tells them that if they do not give to the poor generously it will be sin, but that if they do, God will bless them in all they do.

We live in a day where many leech off of society. There are those who are fully capable, but refuse to work. The Bible is clear that this is not acceptable behavior (2 Thessalonians 3). But there are those who try hard, and simply cannot get by. The single mom who works three jobs. The young couple who simply can't catch a break. The elderly who are stuck in the system. I believe these are the poor we are called to generously help. There are those who try, who want to get by on their own, and then there are those who could, and yet they refuse.

God has blessed us so that we may be a blessing. He has been generous with us so that we may be generous with others. My wife and I fell into the second category I mentioned. We were trying our hardest, doing whatever we could, and yet we couldn't catch a break. I can't begin to thank the people who helped us out. Now we are in the position to bless others, and to be honest, it isn't always my first thought. My wife yes, she is one of the most generous people I know, but me I'm working on it.

Men, are you generous? I'm not saying to help every individual who asks for it, again there are people that want nothing but to take advantage of those who work, but when there is someone who genuinely needs help, are you willing to offer it? If you have been blessed, are you seeking to be a blessing? Or do you hoard what you have, refusing to give anything?

Let us strive to be generous. May we be a blessing, just as we have been blessed.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor