Monday, July 18, 2016

"Lend" to the poor.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 ESV
"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, [8] but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. [9] Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, 'The seventh year, the year of release is near,' and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. [10] You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. [11] For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'

Enough said.  Not enough follow-through

Having been in very real need, I have been blessed by brothers and sisters who heard God's directive and have engaged and followed through.  It was tough to ask and tough to receive but a blessing nonetheless.

"Poor" is a tough place to be.

Notice that this passage does not qualify poverty.  It does not discuss the "why" behind the poverty it simply says that if one of our vrothers becomes poor we are to see that they are provided with sufficient to meet their need.  It says we are to "lend" them  whatever is sufficient for that need.

"Lend ?"   Lend a poor person money?  Yep, that's what is says (and remember the law against charging interest).  It's tough to think of lending a poor person money.  It's easier to just give it to them, and that'66s ok too but when you lend it to them, you are invested in their growing out of poverty.  You have an interest in their overcoming whatever their negative circumstance is and going on to be lifted out of their poverty.  This is a good motivator for the giver to stay engaged in the life of the one in need.

Giving them what they need is a good thing but jt can be a kind of "fire and forget" blessing.  It's real easy to just give and walk away feelimg good about having given.  But, if we take the injunction to "lend" them what they need seriously we can't just walk away.  We take on some form of responsibility with them for the bettermemt of their condition.  That's charity plus!  That is the will of the Lord.  That is part of of the plan.

With many if not most of the "poor," something has occured in their lives to cast then into that condition.  It is God's will that they not remain in  that condition but that they rise from it.  That means that besides the poverty, the cause needs to be addressed.  Thatxs phase two of God's answer to the poor brother's need and one He thoroughly expects us to have a part in.  Whether we take direct and intimate action for their benefit or we help them aquire the connections and resources they need, we are not allowed to "fire and forget" our blessing to them.

The whole notion of lending to the poor is to keep us engaged in their progress.  Charity is tough to give and tough to take but to just drop a gift on them and drop out of their lives is just cruel.  It's saying, "Here's some stuff, lots of luck you are on your own."  Well, being on their own probably contributed to their becoming poor.  Leaving them to their own devices, even with a generous gift, is not going to help them the way they need help!

Having a lending mindset also creates a covenant between you and them. There are legitimate expectations that need to be made clear and carried out.  If one lends, one has the right to expect a return.  But a return is only possible when the one lended to is willing to be helped beyond the lending.  He that is lent to incures an obljgation beyond simple repayment.  They incure the obigation to work to address the cause not just the condition.  We undertake an obligation beyond just the giving.  A good rule of thumb for our role is found in:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

This directs us to a broad range of needs and a clear course of action.  One does not take responsibility "for" them but takes responsibility "with" them. We stay engaged and involved.

Galatians 6:2 ESV
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

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