October 19 – “A New Way to Look at it”
October 19, 2009
How many times have you and I walked past someone with a cardboard sign or on a street corner saying something like, “Anything helps, God bless” or “Hungry and Homeless” or, “Out of gas”. Sometimes they have a can out, maybe a dog or kids at their side. How many times have you thought, “they are probably just scamming, I’ll just keep going”. Today in Prov.19:17 I was reading (and you can too)
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will repay him for his deed.
Way too often I think when someone wants to borrow money – “Will I ever see this again?” Many times people cruise into the church parking lot, with a story about how they are on the way to relatives, been driving for days, and ran out of gas. Just a tankful, and we’ll pay you back as soon as we get to Aunt So-and-So’s! I’ve given, but instead of wondering when I’ll get paid back, I take the Prov.19:17 approach. Evidently, when we lend to the poor – we are lending it to God! That certainly changes things. For one, could I ever outgive God, who gave His son for me? More to the point, do I really think God doesn’t have the ability to repay? Now, I’ve given and the next day not seen any money.
But do we really think repayment is all about the money?
What do you think?
coram deo -rob