One of the consistent themes of Scripture, and of Jesus in the Gospels, is that of generosity. Not only to Him but also to those among us who have needs. The book of Deuteronomy has often been called the Gospel of the Old Testament. It echoes many of the themes we find in the four gospels in the New Testament and one of those themes is that of generosity. Here are two passages that speak to this issue.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11. “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be open handed and freely lend them whatever they need….Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

And then Deuteronomy 24:19-22. “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.”

These are strong words. Don’t be hardhearted or tightfisted but be openhanded and freely lend. Give generously without a grudging heart. Care for the foreigner among you along with the widow and the orphan. 

I think that this is a challenge for us in the West where we believe in rugged individualism. What I have is mine and what you have is yours and if you don’t have enough that is your issue. We have much to learn from God about what a generous life is all about. In fact, He, the Creator, became like us, a creature, in order that we could know the Creator. And then He gave his life so we could be redeemed. That is off the charts, crazy, generosity. 

We also have much to learn from other cultures where generosity is practiced daily with those in need. I am married to a Philippina and am always amazed at how generous fellow Philippinos are when there is a need. To help financially is second nature to them. The same is true in many countries in the world.

But ultimately it is a matter of our heart in following God. The God of generosity calls us to a life of generosity and reminds us to be aware of those who have needs around us. And then to be openhanded rather than Scrooges (ok, that is the TJ version of the text, but to the point).

Father, I am going to pray a bold prayer today. A scary prayer. Give me the opportunity to help someone in need even in the coming days. And when I see that opportunity help me to remember your command to be generous and give me a willing and happy heart as I practice your command. Amen.