Paid Back With Interest

This is a mystical verse.
We are back in Proverbs, continuing our exploration of this book.

The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed. 

Proverbs 19:17 (NET)

How can that be?

God commands us in other places to be kind to those who have less then we do.  Some of those scriptures are:  Deuteronomy 15:7-8, Matthew 10:42, and Luke 6:38, to name a few.

He also tells us that He owns "the cattle on a thousand hills", which is a picturesque way of saying that He owns it all.

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;

I will testify against you, Israel:

I am God, your God.

8I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices

or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

9I have no need of a bull from your stall

or of goats from your pens,

10for every animal of the forest is mine,

and the cattle on a thousand hills.

11I know every bird in the mountains,

and the insects in the fields are mine.

12If I were hungry I would not tell you,

for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

Psalm 50:7-12 (NIV)

So, ok, He owns it all.  I don't think any of you would dispute that.  Then, what is all this about us "lending" to the Lord when we help those who are struggling and suffering?!

I believe it has to do with "lending a hand".  God is, of course, Spirit.  We are His "hands and feet" when we do His will here on Earth.  Oh, He can certainly utilize angelic beings whenever He wants; and, He does, usually unseen.  However, when we obey Him by ministering to "the poor" (which can be defined as anyone who needs our help), then we are lending Him a hand by being His instruments of blessing.  He works through us in this physical domain to bless others.  In that way we are "lending to the Lord".  We are lending our hearts and wills and bodies.

God promises that we cannot out-give Him.  Isn't that a beautiful promise?  In his book, James (1:17) describes Him as the ultimate Giver.... of "every good and perfect gift".  He will be a debtor to no man.  In fact, when we are generous with what we've been given, I don't believe God just "pays us back".  I firmly believe He pays us back...with interest!

Recently, I've been a little grumbly with God about my finances.  We recently had to purchase a new oven for the house, when I felt our old one should have lasted at least a couple more decades.  We have a flawed heating system in the basement, which we can't currently afford to replace....I have even sinned by questioning God as to where the financial abundance is that I am currently seeking.  Ridiculous!

This sinning of mine is because I've been focusing on only one type of "pay back", you see.  Living in our materialistic society here in the United States, it is easy to develop tunnel vision where "blessing" is concerned.  When I broaden it out to include blessings of all types, I realize how God has given me much, much, much more than I have ever given to others OR to Him.  And, that shift of focus rightly provokes waves of extreme gratitude, washing over my soul.

Here's a recent example of the Lord's largesse.
Later this week, I'll be traveling with a couple of friends very far from home. (My menfolk had no desire to go.)  I've been granted an opportunity to visit a part of the world I've never seen, one I've wanted to experience for a very long time.  The next time I post, it will be from 7 time zones away.  I look forward to sharing my experiences there with you here in the blog.

Omers and Homers

Today, with great excitement, I opened a package I'd received in the mail.  To my surprise, there was an extra item in the box, a duplicate of one of the items ordered.  Hmmmm.....what to do?

I'm sure you've been faced with a similar situation.
*You are given too much "change" at the retail store or the drive-thru.
*You find something valuable that belongs to someone else.
Those types of situations.

I had a very close friend who, at that time, claimed to be a Christian.  He'd always say, "Oh well! Lucky me!", making no attempt to find the owner, alert the clerk, etc.

What do you think God expects of us, His redeemed ones, in those situations?
A clue can be found in Proverbs 11:1 (NET)

The Lord abhors dishonest scales,

but an accurate weight is his delight.

"Dishonest scales"....what does that mean?

In ancient times, many goods were sold according to their weight.  Some biblical weights are foreign to Westerners today, things like omers and homers, to name a couple.  If you'd like a handy reference to convert those strange biblical references to those you'd recognize, here's a link you can bookmark:

http://biblehub.com/weights-and-measures/

But, more on topic, here's what unscrupulous merchants would do.  They would manipulate their scales so that when measuring out an omer of grain, for example, the scales would reflect more product than was actually there.  They'd hang a weight on one side of the scale and the product on the other.  Sometimes, in their bag, they'd have a smaller weight, which they'd use (just shy of an omer, for example), calling it an omer when it was not. Then, the merchant would charge the full price.  In this way, the buyer would be cheated. This is mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy 25:13 (NET).

You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small.

Do we really think it is godly to profit from another human being's mistake?
When we fail to disclose an error such as those I described earlier, we are acting the same as a dishonest merchant.  We are cheating someone of some thing that belongs to him or her.

To be honest, I am tempted at times to just react as my former friend did, and blow it off.  This immediately leads to feelings of shame for even considering such a thing.  But, seems to me the scriptures are pretty clear:  such dishonest behavior is not pleasing to God.  "Abhor" is a pretty strong word.
Furthermore, is this how we, ourselves, would want to be treated?

Today, I went into a certain business establishment and left something on the check-out desk. Because my information was in their computer system, the receptionist called to let me know to come back and pick up my essential oils.  I was so grateful!

And, the "merchant" who sent the extra item in today's package by mistake?  When I inquired, she said to keep it.  Her generosity was so appreciated!  Excellent customer service!

In both those cases, my loyalty and business have been earned for a long time.
There aren't enough "shekels" to buy that kind of customer loyalty!

Many Waters and Bringing Blessing

Water is big in the news these days.  The state of Texas is experiencing the worst flooding in its history, as a result of the stagnant, sluggish Hurricane Harvey.  Due to a highly unusual set of weather circumstances Harvey arrived near Corpus Christi last Friday, moved inland to the Houston area and now seemingly refuses to leave!  The consequences are rainfall totals measured in feet.  The city of Houston appears to be drowning.

Houston is a city of 2-3 million people.  Although the city leaders knew Harvey was coming, to evacuate a city of that size in a matter of a couple of days would have "flooded" the highways with cars and put many more lives at risk.  In our nation's fifth largest city, government is incapable of meeting the needs of Houstonians who have been ravaged by this weather catastrophe.

Fortunately, relief agencies, such as Samaritan's Purse and the Salvation Army, as well as the American Red Cross, major corporations and celebrities have sprung into action.  Additionally, as Harvey continues to dump more and more rain on the greater Houston area, "ordinary people" are, for the most part, showing their better selves. Firefighters and other emergency personnel are working "round the clock".  Groups like Louisiana's "Cajun Navy" have traveled to Houston to search for survivors and rescue them in their boats.  The Southern Baptist group "Baptist Men" have gone to the area to help.  These and others like them are volunteers, who simply want to help their fellow man, many of them Christians who simply want to "be the hands and feet of Jesus" to those in desperate need.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;

Another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

And one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 11:24-25 ESV

In our journey through the book of Proverbs we are going to explore the themes of riches and work. In this first installment, we are beginning to examine generosity.

Listening to a national morning news program today, I heard Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse being interviewed.  He testified that the greatest need in this ongoing, unfolding tragedy in Texas is the need for prayer.  I certainly agree.  All of us can pray for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, and well we should.  Is there something more tangible we could do, however?

The Lord has given all of us resources we can generously give, in most instances to nameless, faceless people we do not yet know.  This is giving with no hope of return on our "investment".  But, God knows.  And, God will "water us" in return.  Here is an example of a small businessman in Florida who wrote on the @LACajunNavy 's Facebook page just mere hours ago.

Trying to get in contact with some boots on the ground in the area. I operate a kayaking company and would like to volunteer between 32-64 kayaks and around 126 seats. We can be there in about 20hrs coming from Florida. We also have personnel trained in rescues. Please call my cell that i left for you in a direct message.

Thank you, Mr. Mahan.  Liberty University has trained you well.  You have a generous spirit, and God will "water you", according to His promise.

Let's each of us ask ourselves: "what would God have me do?"  Whatever answer He gives you, do it. And, not just in this present Texas disaster, either.  Anytime the Holy Spirit nudges us to give, may we have open hands, which spring from open hearts.

To volunteer and/or give:

louisianacajunnavy.org
samaritanspurse.org
texasbaptistmen.org
https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/give/

Garden of Life

I was over at a friend's house yesterday, after not having been to her home before, and noticed that she has beautiful box gardens out in the front of her home.  I had to fight "the envy response", and told her so.  Here we are in the middle of winter, and there was still lovely produce in her beds.  In our neck of the woods, you can grow various foods outside, 10 months out of the year, if you work at it.  This is what hit my mind as I read today's text, because Paul uses the gardening metaphor in
Galatians 6:6-10.  Let's sow precious seed into our souls this morning as we examine this text.

6 Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

The Message version

The overarching themes of this passage are generosity and focus, because they are intertwined.
The first key question is:  how are you spending your time?  I want you to really think about that this morning.

I had occasion to really think about this deeply over the past couple of days, while you didn't get a post here at the RD blog.  I was under a heavy workload, from my two contracted jobs.  Plus, another opportunity crossed my path, which I'm praying about.  These circumstances have "moved my cheese", as the book1 says, causing me to ask: "How am I spending my life? Am I planting selfishness, which will produce a crop of weeds?"  It's an important question, no matter one's age - - - young, middle-aged, or well-seasoned.

One translation of 6:7 says, "Don't be deceived.  God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap."  It's a principle of God's order.  If you plant pumpkin seeds, you'll harvest pumpkins, not half-runner pole beans.  If you plant strawberries, you'll not harvest corn.  The same is true with our lives.  God gives each one of us the tools we need for this life, and only asks that we use them to follow Him.  Yet, He leaves the choice of whether we use our tools, how we use them, when we use them and for whose glory we use them - -  up to us.

I'll tell you this, fellow believers.  I pray I've chosen well, and that I continue to choose well for the remainder of my earthly days, no matter how many of them are left.

Young people have a lot of angst about "what to do with my life".  I remember that stage, and it IS difficult.  Here's my advice.  Look at the gifts God has given you.  If you stink at writing and hate it, don't choose a career that requires skill at writing, for example.  Is there something you love to do? Find a creative way to make a career of it, as long as it brings glory to God.  And, then, throughout your life, look for open doors.  God will lead you, if you seek, trust and obey Him.  Don't be afraid to walk through them.  One of my university professors used to say (borrowing from A.W. Tozer), "There's no difference between the secular and the sacred"1, which means that for the Christian following Jesus Christ and seeking to honor Him, all is "sacred".  All God-inspired work is holy work.  When we are submissive to Him, His Holy Spirit "does a growth work" in us, producing in and through us a harvest of "real life", "eternal life"!

Now, for the other side of this equation: generosity.  I've had the t.v. on "mute" as I've been blogging this morning, but I just dialed up the sound.  There's a news story on, about a "chain" of people who got out of their cars on a snowy interstate highway to heroically rescue a man, trapped in the cab of an 18-wheeler, hanging over a precipice.   It was generosity that prompted them to do that.  What if they had just left him hanging there?  What if they had made excuses - - - "It's too dangerous!  I might be hurt or killed myself!"

And similarly, Christian, when all around us lost people are headed to Hell at warp speed....what is our response?  How much more should we generously extend a hand, using the gifts we've been given, to rescue them?

Unfortunately, the culture of American society is often this:  to get as many goodies for myself as I possibly can, whether I earned them or not, and then to spend my time indulging my every desire. The biblical word/phrase for this is "worldliness" or "the lust of the eyes".

15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life^c—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.  

1 John 2:15-16 (ESV)

God, by contrast, commands us to be generous people, starting with lavishly supporting those who have "raised us up" in the Christian faith.  Preachers hesitate to preach on this verse, because it sounds self-serving.  But, the truth is - - - we should generously compensate our church leaders for the very valuable work they do.  Sure!  There are excesses!  Some very "successful", well-known religious leaders have used their money to purchase solid gold bath fixtures in their homes or multi-million dollar jets (or tried to).  In general, though, pastors and missionaries and Bible professors and so on are not rich in material goods.  They should be some of the most financially well-off among us! I don't think that it is an accident Paul emphasizes that we should share our financial blessings with those who are making it their life's work to spread the gospel or equip believers.

Even beyond that, we should live lives of generosity, sharing the riches (both material and spiritual) God has given us with those around us. This is love.  Love is not stingy.  You can't love another person (especially God), while at the same time being stingy with your treasures.  That is why God gave us The Shema2.

There are so many fabulous Bible verses I could share here, but won't, for the sake of time.  (Mother tells me my posts just run on and on...).  But, under Sources: I will post a link, where you can click and read many such verses3.

Lord God, Giver of all precious blessings, You open Your hand so generously to us!  Cover our tightly-closed fists, our locked-up hearts and open them.  Break them open so that we can lavish love on those around us. For Jesus' glory and in His name, amen.

Sources:

1.  Johnson, Spencer. Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life. New York: Putnam, 1998. Print.
2.  http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/tozer/5f00.0888/5f00.0888.10.htm
3.  Deuteronomy 6:4; Luke 10:27
4.  https://www.openbible.info/topics/generosity

The Giving Grace

Good morning,

Do you remember as a child being forced to say "I'm sorry" to your sibling, and not meaning it at all? I do!  Saying "I'm sorry" through clenched teeth, with squinty eyes is (hello!) not genuine, is it?  We know that, because of our personal experience and also because of dealing with children, if you have had that experience.  Usually, the misbehavior that prompted the "I'm sorry" soon recurs.  Why does this happen?  It happens because the repentance was not genuine!

We are moving on to 2 Cor. 8, giving just a love pat to the rest of chapter 7.  The remainder of that chapter dealt with a mysterious, lost letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians.  I've mentioned it in previous blog posts.  All we know about it comes from Paul's references to it in 2 Corinthians. The letter was very strong in its corrective language and intended to deal with a particular situation in that local church.  I reckon God did not intend for us to be privy to it.  The letter was hand-delivered by Titus, who worked with that local church to not only deliver its contents, but to exhort the Corinthians to repentance and restoration.  Paul rejoices in 7:8-16 that all of this was accomplished.

 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

2 Cor. 7:10  (NKJV)

The Corinthians had "godly sorrow", which is true regret for their individual and corporate sins; and then, they repented.  Paul points out that godly sorrow always leads to repentance, a change of heart and behavior.  Without both, there is no salvation.  Just praying a little prayer and walking the aisle....unh-uh.  No. There has to be a genuine desire from the heart for Christ, a true belief in Him. Only then does He save.

In chapter 8, where we are digging in this morning, Paul goes on to say that Titus had another assignment for his visit to the Corinthians.  It was to teach them about the grace of giving.  Look at 8:1-9.

Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, 2 that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. 3 For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, 4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints. 5 And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 6 Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you—make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. 8 I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich. 

(NET)

There's a reason Paul segues into giving here.  Giving flows from joy, and joy is the result of repentance, confession, restoration.  Have you ever thought of Christian "charity" (giving) as a grace? The Bible declares that it is!  It is a grace much disparaged and maligned.  Satan uses greed as one of his best offensive weapons in the Church.  Greed creeps in and soils the beauty of genuine Christian giving.

When I was on mission in Peru recently, I heard our pastor ask the leader of a local Peruvian ministry if he had taught his people about the grace of giving.  I was sort of shocked by that, at the time.  Of all the things I expected him to emphasize teaching, giving would have been on down that list a ways, not at the top.  Yet, his admonition followed the New Testament model Paul builds here.  Let's break it down:

• In verse 5 we see that the grace of giving overflows from a heart devoted to the Lord and to the carrying out of His will.  
• Paul cites as an example of this heart attitude the churches of Macedonia who, in spite of their suffering and poverty had also overflowed with generosity and acts of kindness. (vs. 1-5)
• More than that, Paul references the ultimate Giver, Jesus Christ (vs. 9), whose grace compelled Him to leave Heaven's glory, wrap Himself in flesh and ultimately pour His physical, human life out for us so that we might receive salvation, with all its riches and benefits.

We can parse and debate and argue about how much to give to the Lord, but why?  I believe that the Old Testament model of 10% is a good start.  But, I don't think we should be restricted to that.  After all, we are no longer under law, but are under grace!  (Romans 6:14) If the Lord's Spirit prompts us to give more, we should.  We should be known as people who give generously.

Now, I know that you think this is talking about your money, and in this context of 2 Cor. 8, it is. But, God does not only want our money; it all belongs to Him anyway.  More than that, He wants our hearts.  Truly, if He has our hearts, he will have our money too.  This is why Jesus said, 

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."   But, wait, look at that larger passage, Luke 12:32-34 - - -

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Beautiful, isn't it?  And, oh so true.  We already have in our possession, Christian, all of the spiritual possessions of God's kingdom!  Our true treasure is in Heaven, not here on earth.  All of our earthly possessions are designed to further the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ - - - nothing more, nothing less.  When we really "get" this, it transforms our lives and the lives of others.  It's pretty radical living, honestly.

Lord God, King of the Universe, Creator and Giver of all good things, teach us the grace of giving. May we be known as people who give as generously as Christ gave.  It is in His name I pray, amen.