Jesus has already told us to be generous. He said, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Such should be our attitude whenever someone asks of us. Not of course that He would think only the demanding are worthy, or that our blessing should be exclusively reserved for those who are fortunate enough to have our attention. But rather that we must reflect the heart of God to His creation. Does He not provide sun and rain for all? Does He not provide land and sea for all? Of course He does. Of His character, James writes of God, “who gives to all generously and without criticizing.” It is God’s nature to give, so much so that we can be confident of it. If that is how God treats us, should we not treat our fellow man with equal grace? So Jesus goes further, making it clear that a base expectation of His people is a generous heart, “So when you give to the needy…”
In saying “When” (some versions say, “whenever”), Jesus implies that the occasion is not rare. That it is repeated. That it is a regular event, although not necessarily scheduled. It also implies that we will be around the poor (or they around us).
It would be a sad thing if the disciple of God had only the wealthy in their circle of influence and in their field of view. For then we might not have occasion to be generous to the poor, and how then would any find out if they have a gift of generosity? And how would they practice that gift, apart from those who lack what we can give? How would we even know what generosity even was, apart from receiving? And how sad it would be, if we realized we had lack, and there were none with abundance to help!
It is even sadder when we see someone in need and do not feel some obligation to help. It should greatly alarm us if we see another made in God’s image in want and yet have no compassion for them, no motivation deep within us to help in some way. Indeed, because we are made in God’s image, it is natural and normal to help. One does not need a ‘gift’ of compassion to help a fellow human being. As Mark Aurelius wrote in his work, Meditations: “One man when he has done a service to another is ready to set it down to his account as a favour conferred. Another, while he may not go so far as that, still thinks of the man as his debtor, and is conscious of what he has done. A third does not, if we may so speak, even know what he has done and betrays no consciousness of his kindness, but is like a vine which has produced grapes and seeks for nothing after it has produced the fruit proper to it. As a horse when he has run, a dog when he has caught the game, a bee when it has made its honey, so a man when he has done a good act, does not call out for others to come and see, but goes on to another act, as a vine goes on to produce again grapes in the season. What more do you want when you have done a man a service? Are you not content that you have done something conformable to your nature and do you seek reward for it, as if the eye should demand a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking?”
If that is our common nature (and it must be, for we are all made in His image) then the people of God must care all the more. Not just to help others, but to be known as generous, just as God is known as generous. Amen.
Our use of money to help people is a test of the sincerity of our love. It evaluates our real appreciation for the grace God has given to us
Knofel Staton
APPLICATION: Intentionality
Who in your circle of influence is needy? How would Jesus want you to respond?