Do not withhold good from those that deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later. I’ll give it tomorrow” when you now have it with you. ~Proverbs 3:27-28
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn from the one who wants to borrow from you. ~Matthew 5:42
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”” ~Acts 20:35
We are now going to be talking for the next few days about how to live with our neighbors. Well, to be honest, there isn’t much new here for those of us who were raised in the church and have been fed on Biblical thinking most of our lives. The heart of God is compassionate toward those in need no matter what the circumstance may be. He relies on those who claim to be His people to be His hands and feet to meet the need. That’s why we do the Good Neighbor Food Pantry ministry.
Perhaps, it is at least interesting that this quote is in Proverbs which means that caring for the poor is actually an act of wisdom. Why is it wise to care for the poor? So many of the proverbs focus on personal improvement and taking care of ourselves. Here, we are called to look beyond ourselves to others. We must realize what a contrast this is to worldly thinking that more narcissistically says, “Look out for No. 1,” and, “You deserve a reward.”
When we care for others, we demonstrate the importance, to God and ourselves, of community. What was that song that said, “No man is an island?” We are not meant to walk this life alone. Yes, we need the Lord, but we also need our fellow humans. None of us is complete in ourselves. It is wisdom that recognizes that fact and values others who may have what we lack. Also, hopefully, they will value what we have to give to help them where they are lacking.
It is good for us to practice taking our eyes off ourselves and notice others. It is often recommended for those in the grieving process to seek out ways to help someone else, or as Paul says, “Comfort others with the comfort with which you have been comforted.” (2 Cor:1-3) Our attitude can degrade into the, “It’s all about me,” thought pattern so quickly. Taking our eyes off ourselves and focusing on others helps us to remember, it’s not all about us, it’s really all about Him. That’s why Paul reminds us that Jesus said that, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Receiving is about me, giving is about Him and others.
Finally, it is interesting that giving must be in the present tense. Why? You don’t know the future. Give or share, now, while it is in your power to do so, while you are being asked. Now is when the need is felt. Now is when you have the ability to do so. The opportunity or ability may be gone tomorrow. That is in contrast to the world’s way of thinking also. We are used to planning, and budgeting and praying about it, sometimes overly long, before we allow ourselves to think, “Maybe, we can help.”
Now, however, there must also be a word of caution. Remember, two words, “wisdom,” and “need.” I am not including this to let us off the hook, we do still need to employ wisdom. As we all know, not everything that we want is a need. Even God Himself does not provide everything we want, but Paul has stated that God will “Meet all our needs according to His riches in Glory.” (Phil. 4:19) So, be wise when your neighbor asks for help. Be wise in how you help too. It’s not just that you want to avoid being taken advantage of either. You also want to avoid giving in ways that actually hurt the recipient.
If you are hesitant to give, a good tool to consider is to examine your motive. Is your motivation love and concern for your neighbor, or are you more driven to protect your own belongings? Solomon addresses this issue when he says, “Do not say to your neighbor, “come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” when you now have it with you.” It is important to always be conscious of what is good for your neighbor, just as God is working out all things for your good. (Rom. 8:28) It is probably true that most of us can do more than we do, and could give way more than we do. It’s part of living a surrendered life.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you so much for helping me in my time of need and using Your wisdom and power for my benefit. How can I thank You enough? By using my power and wisdom, that comes from You, to help others in their time of need. I pray that as I help others that I also get to share the gospel with them, for it is the greatest benefit of all, to meet each ones greatest need of all, peace with You, O God. In Jesus' name, amen.
Song: “My Own Little World”
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