Dear friend,
According to our Lord, it is more blessed to give than to receive. So, would He rob us of the joy and blessing of giving? Of course, not. Therefore, even though He is able to supply all our needs without anyone else having to lift a little finger, He does not do so, but instead commands us to distribute "to the necessity of saints." (Rom. 12:13)
To know whether something is necessary, one must do some investigation. Often people ask for things they lust after and not because they truly need them. Giving such things to them is not necessary good for them as such giving gratifies their lusts and encourages them to lust further to the further hurt. So, true and proper giving is not as easy as one may think. God's Word never says that it is more blessed to give falsely and improperly than to receive. We live in the present world where there are abundance of unnecessary things and lots of wastage around, overtaxing the mother earth to our own hurt. Giving at such times may not be genuinely out of concern for others to the glory of God, but for self promotion and easy of one's own conscience for being lustful.
David is an Old Testament example of one who was proactive in his work of mercy towards Jonathan's family, as he had promised he would. "David said, Is there yet any that is left ... of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2Sa. 9:1) When we are careful and know the right way to help the genuinely poor people, we should become more proactive to seek and help them out, especially in spiritual things.
The Kingdom of God is prepared for His blessed people who can see Christ in His suffering servants, and support them in kinds. "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Mat. 25:34-36, 40)
God is very pleased to see His own Name glorified in the midst of His people. He would therefore want to see them taking care of each other sacrificially in His Name. "Whosoever shall give to drink one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." (Mat. 10:42) "To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Heb. 13:`6)
Do you know the implication of God forgetting "your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister"? (Heb. 6:10)
Do read the Holy Scriptures for yourselves in the free Daily Light on Daily Path for this day at http://soshine.blogspot.com/2008/01/daily-light-on-daily-path-march.html#Mar26E.
lck
No comments:
Post a Comment