DECEMBER 4, 2012
Open-Handed
Help
Read: Deuteronomy 15:7-11
You shall open your hand
wide to [the poor]. —Deuteronomy 15:8
A
homeless man spends time in our local library. One afternoon,
while I was
writing there, I took a lunch break. After I finished the
first half of a
turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich, an image of the
man’s face came to mind. A
few minutes later, I offered him the
untouched part of my lunch. He accepted.
This
brief encounter made me realize that with all that God has given
me, I needed
to do more to help those who are less fortunate. Later,
as I thought about
this, I read Moses’ instructions on providing for the
poor. He told the
Israelites: Do not “shut your hand from your poor
brother,
but . . . open your hand wide to him” (Deut. 15:7-8). An open
hand symbolizes the way God wanted His nation to provide for
impoverished
people—willingly and freely. No excuses, no holding
back (v.9). God had given
to them, and He wanted them to give
generously enough to supply whatever was
“sufficient” for the need (v.8).
When
we offer open-handed help to the poor, God blesses us for our
kindness (Ps.
41:1-3; Prov. 19:17). With His leading, consider how you
might “extend your
soul to the hungry” (Isa. 58:10) and freely give to
help others in Jesus’ name.
Grant us, then, the grace for giving
With a spirit large and free,
That our life and all our living
We may consecrate to Thee. —Murray
You may give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
