A CALL TO CHARITY

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you.

Proverbs 3:27-28

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Don’t withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act.

Don’t make people wait needlessly for something when you have it to give.

Two calls to charity embedded in the words of Proverbs, Chapter 3. If we’re not careful, these calls could easily overlooked in God’s word but once we find them, read them, and subsequently understand them, we cannot avoid what they direct us to do. We can’t sidestep the conviction they bring to us.

I say this because we need to be honest on the matter of charity.

None of us do it well enough.

We come upon more than our fair share of opportunities to be charitable in life but how many do we allow to pass by, particularly when we have the means to do something? How often have we turned a blind eye when we have seen or heard of someone in need? How often have we ignored the call to help another?

One thing is sure. Satan is busy each and every day filling our minds with a multitude of excuses as to why we shouldn’t carry out this call to charity from the word of God. Let me give you an example most of us can relate to.

You are driving and approach an intersection. The light is red and off to your left you notice a man holding a cardboard sign which simply reads, “Out of work. Hungry. Please help.” You notice that he looks disheveled and assume he is possibly homeless. In the back of your mind, you feel this conviction to do something, to help this man in need.

And then competing thoughts go through your head.

“Is his request really legitimate?”

“How do I know he’s going to use what I give him for food. He’s probably going to just buy food or alcohol instead.”

“I should help him but I just don’t have time. After all, I’m in a hurry.”

So many thoughts we wrestle with during a time like that. And guess what, more often or not, the light turns green and we hit the gas, not doing anything except drive away and abandon a brother (or possibly as sister) who was in need.

Not exactly an obedient response to our word from God that states:

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.

Friends, the scriptures are clear. If we have the means to give – and if the one in need deserves it – then we are to give. Period. God calls us to act and we’re required to do what He says. It’s not negotiable and we need to remember that the next time Satan tries to lead us toward reasoning away why we can’t respond appropriately.

Jesus, God’s only Son who had the heart, mind, soul, and spirit of His Father, not only further commanded us on this matter of helping those in need but He showed us how to do it in the way He lived. You may recall these words from our Savior:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.”

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’”

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’”

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’” Matthew 25:31-40

Jesus made it a point to take the commands of God His Father and raise the bar on them. It wasn’t murder alone that would bring judgment but getting angry and even name calling (Matthew 5:21-22). Adultery wasn’t just limited to the physical tryst but included merely lusting after another (Matthew 5:27-28). And now, you weren’t just supposed to help someone in need if you had the means but not doing so would be akin to not helping Jesus Himself. Our savior knew in His infinite wisdom that in order to remain obedient to God’s commands, one must not just address the matter but the symptom.

Take away anger and name calling and you can remove the impetus that leads many to murder.

Remove lusting after another and you remove the temptation to commit adultery.

And see Jesus as the object of our charity and we will be less prone to ignore someone who is in need.

The message here is powerful and condemning at the same time. The good news is that today can be the day we change our attitudes and commit ourselves fully now and forever to God and Christ’s call to charity.

The world will be a far better place to live when we do.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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