Give Freely From the Heart

“⁹Take 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. ¹⁰You 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.” – Deuteronomy 15:9-10 (ESV)

This passage is from that titled in my ESV Bible as “The Sabbatical Year”. The instruction in the full passage is to give freely to your brothers and neighbors. Whether lending or full on gifting, you are to be sure to provide for the needs of your poor brothers and sisters. In this Sabbatical year, there is a moratorium in the collection of the lent resources. That can be fully forgiven or simply paused for the year. But no matter where you are in relation to the Sabbatical year, you are to continue to give freely to your poor brothers and sisters.

The part of the verse that I was led to this morning is that of giving freely from the heart. We are to want to support our neighbors and brothers. We are to almost go out of our way to provide for their needs, and do so from a deep sense of love and compassion without concern for payback. We are to be heartfelt in providing and not do so with any animosity in our heart.

I admit to being cynical and have a hard time with supporting others that have opportunity to support themselves. I have seen too often, those who take advantage of the generosity of others and wonder if there really is need based on the actions of those receiving. But, I have to remember the second part of verse 10 above, “because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.”

You see, it is not about what my brother, sister, and neighbor has going on in their heart, when the need is identified, it is my role to work to fill that need. Yes, their may be ill intent on the part of the receiver, and they will be dealt with by the LORD just as I will be dealt with based on my actions to provide. There should be no grudgingly giving. I have to give freely from the heart to meet the needs of my brother, sister, and neighbor. In that I will find my reward in heaven.

What is your view of giving? Are you reluctant based on the actions of those who you provide? What if you were to give freely from the heart and allow God to provide judgment?

Not for All

There are those that will not receive compassion, either from us, or more importantly from God.

“¹⁴What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! ¹⁵For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’” – Romans 9:14-15 (ESV)

Paul here is pointing out God’s sovereignty. God dictates all, whether mercy or compassion are given or not. And as noted, not everyone will receive them.

“²⁷And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ‘Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,’” — Romans 9:27 (ESV)

Paul again references the Old Testament and notes that not all of Israel will be saved even as the Israelite people are the chosen people.

Yes, we are to give compassion where we are confronted with the opportunity. And we are to discard custom and convention for compassion. And we are to give compassion even when we are worn out. But we also have to remember we will not give compassion to all in the world. There are those that we are not able to reach nor do we come in contact with.

I am but one person and where I am to do all that God has for me to do, I also have to remember that it is up to God where mercy and compassion are given. I follow the LORD and He works through me. Where He deems mercy to be given, I will give mercy. Where He deems compassion be given, I will give compassion. Where He knows salvation is at hand, I will be there to offer His gift. But make no mistake, it is not for all, and the LORD takes the lead with who receives.

What is your take on mercy, compassion, and salvation? Are you of the view that everyone should receive indiscriminately? What if you were to devote yourself to God and know that He decides and not all receive mercy, compassion, and salvation?

Discard Custom and Convention for Compassion

“²⁰And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” – Luke 15:20 (ESV)

This verse is from the parable of the prodigal son. You know the one, where the son took his inheritance early, left and squandered it all and then returned to a father who welcomed him back with open, thankful, and excited arms. All of that is great, but I was looking here at this one verse to where I was led this morning.

In that day the men were to be dignified and stoic. They had servants to do for them. Not to mention that once the son had gone with his early inheritance, he was considered dead to the family. So, it was out of custom and convention for a head of household to act in such an open, thankful, excited and revealing way.

As my pastor described for me to get a visual, imagine this father seeing his son in the distance and hiking up his cloak and coverings and sprinting to embrace his son who had been “dead” and was now alive. I am sure that the son was filthy and had a pretty good stench to him as he had been living and working with pigs.

The father was not concerned with the condition of the son and did not listen to the son’s confession or even consider what had transpired. He simply heaped on compassion to him. He forgot and went against all customs and conventions of the day to drench his found son in compassion for he considered himself whole again.

How often is it that we avoid compassion because it is not conventional or customary to give it in our times today. I think of giving forgiveness where it would be customary to condemn. I think of service to those who may not be “deserving” of service. I think of hugging someone instead of hitting them when they do wrong against us. We have to step out of the customary and conventional response to demonstrate compassion and that will disrupt the situation entirely.

What is your reaction when something goes awry? Are you of the action to stick to the response expected? What if you were to discard the customary and conventional responses and deliver compassion instead?

Compassion Even When Worn Out

I want to believe that everyone has compassion for others. Yet, what about when we are worn out and in need of some rest. Well, there is never a time where compassion takes a back seat.

It is natural to want to have some time to rest. In today’s world everything is so fast paced that we all look for that time to relax and not be bothered so that we can just kick our feet up. But, Jesus tells us that rest comes to those who come to Him.

“²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

Even as we will have rest when we come to Jesus, that does not mean that we will not be tasked with continuing the work. We will be worn out, yet we are to continue the work that He has for us and find rest in the work as it is in the name of Jesus and not just work.

“³⁰The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.” – Mark 6:30-32 (ESV)

In the above verses, there is reference to the work that the apostles had been doing. They had been sent out by Jesus to spread the gospel and they had just returned to Jesus. They were excited and telling of all that they had done. They had worked and worked and worked and had no chance to rest and kick their feet up. Jesus knew this and recognized it and decided to give them a chance to catch their breath. He went with them to a place to do just that, away from the hustle and bustle to recharge the batteries a bit. But, that was not what happened. As they went away, the people followed and went ahead of them to the place they were going to rest.

“³³Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.” – Mark 6:33-34 (ESV)

Here we find that the rest was not going to come. The apostles were not going to kick their feet up. They were not going to have a chance to breath. Jesus provided the example we all should follow. When there is a need, we are to work to fill that need. In this case, the need was for the gospel and the need was immediate. Even in the face of being worn completely out, Jesus showed the apostles that serving was more important than rest.

We will all have times when we are completely worn out, yet there is no time to shy away from continuing the work of the LORD, spreading the gospel, and serving others. Whenever and wherever we might be we are to have compassion for those in need and know that we will have rest when the work is done. Be the example that Jesus demonstrated for us here, show compassion for others even when we are worn out.

What is your view of when to show compassion? Are you all in when you have the energy and the time? What if you were to follow the example of Jesus and show compassion to others even when you are worn out?

The LORD is Great and Compassionate

I read this morning of something that I know, God is Great and God is Compassionate. Yet, even as I know it, I need to be reminded from time to time, if not daily.

“¹⁰Behold, the Lord God comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

¹¹He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.”

— Isaiah 40:10-11 (ESV)

Let me try and paint the picture of what I see in the above two verses, yes only two verses. Here is the LORD in all His might. Standing and fighting with one hand as His other is full. The other hand is holding the little ones to ensure that they are safe from the evil before Him. And as He fights, behind Him are the rest of His guarded as they escape. They are working their way through the small gap in the cliff that He is standing in front of fighting so they are free to go through.

I know, it seems like a scene from a movie where one man is fighting for the well being of his family. Yet, isn’t that what we are, His family. We are the adopted sons and daughters of the LORD. We are the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We are worth it all thanks to the saving grace He has provided. The LORD gathers up those who are not innocent into His arms and protects them and stands in front of evil to protect the other. He is fighting evil for us, standing in front of the gate to ensure that we have safe passage.

God’s power and compassion are on display here. He is compassionate to all who are in need, even carrying those who need Him most. And yet all the while, He is fighting for our survival in this world until we can meet up in the next to celebrate His victory.

What does the LORD look like to you? Are you seeing him only as the powerful warrior running into battle? What if you saw Him as the one standing in battle gathering the sheep and protecting them as they escape, even carrying those who need Him most?

Compassion and Forgiveness

We are going to be persecuted in this world for those things that are not in line with what is considered socially acceptable. Take all of the challenges and persecution that is taking place in the Middle East at this point in history. Whether you are on the side of Israel or the side of Palestinians, there is persecution that comes with your decided views.

“³³And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” – Luke 23:33-34 (ESV)

Notice here Jesus’ approach to the persecution. He calls for God to “forgive them”, and why, “for they know not what they do”. Jesus was in a situation where He was being persecuted well beyond anything that I will be subjected, and His go to was to show compassion for those persecuting Him and ask that they be forgiven. He is not asking for one side to be right and the other side to be wrong, Jesus is simply asking for compassion and forgiveness for all involved.

I have to remember that people are going to be people and they are going to do what is in the mind, whether that is of their own volition or it is driven by the evil one. These are only people and have every opportunity, just as I did, to repent and accept Christ. My role is to bring the love of Christ to them and as I do so, I have to show compassion to them and forgive them.

I do not have any special powers and am certainly not Christ. But, I am one of His children and am tasked to bring His way to the world. I am to demonstrate and be the example of Christ in the world today. The example that Jesus set was one of compassion and forgiveness and it is my role to bring the same to others in this world.

I believe that we are sorely missing God in the world today and we need all of His children to take up the example of Jesus and spread it far and wide, yet not to forget those in our immediate vicinity. I have a duty to complete the work Christ set for me:

“¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus went through this world bringing His message to ALL, regardless of who they were or where they came from. He provided countless examples of compassion and forgiveness in His time here. He then challenged me to do as He did and bring His message to all and demonstrate that same compassion and forgiveness in the process.

What are your actions when things go sideways around you? Are you taking the process of condemning those who hold a different view? What if we used the example of Christ and showed compassion and forgiveness to all involved?