Three objections and answers to helping the poor:
Objection 1: My money is my own
Answer: Christ might have said, 'My blood is my own, my life is my own.'...then where should we have been?
Objection 2: The poor are undeserving
Objection 3: The poor may abuse it
This following story is about Oswald Chambers and a drunken man. I thought I'd share it again because it goes so well with the above quote.
"One evening, walking back to his lodgings after conducting a League meeting, he was accosted by a drunken man asking for money. Chambers listened intently to the man's story, then told him, 'Man, I believe your story is all lies, but my Master tells me to give to everyone that asks, so there is my last shilling.' After putting the coin into the man's hand, Chambers noticed that it was not a shilling but half a crown worth two and a half times more. It didn't matter. 'there you are' he told the man, 'the Lord bless you.'
When Oswald's hostess heard this story, she chided him for being foolish.
'I believe beggars are sent to test our faith.' Chambers replied earnestly. 'My duty is plain-to obey the command of God and give to everyone that asks. What the recipient may do with it is not my concern.' As the woman shook her head in disbelief, Oswald added with a twinkle, 'Besides, the Lord always gives double for all I give away.' The next morning Chambers received a letter enclosing a gift from a person who was bedridden and could not come to hear him preach. The gift was three times what he had given the drunken man the night before."
"Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back." Luke 6:30
Great post, Cathy! I love John Piper & Oswald Chambers both, and I include My Utmost for His Highest with my daily devotions. You can't outgive God!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for following Saved by Grace! I'm following you back!
Laurie
http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/
Hi Laurie, glad to have you following back! Thanks for stopping by. :)
DeleteThanks for posting this. I am blessed.
ReplyDeleteConvicting... very. I am going to read this post to my children, because we often drive by beggars on street corners and I never stop -- yet the children always ask to. Last week there was a family -- they had the children hold the signs. Again the children asked to stop and said no. But now I must ask their forgiveness and God's, and the next opportunity that comes, I will let them give.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree, what a great post.
ReplyDeleteWhat great thoughts reminding us that all we have is not ours, but Christs.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your post at Getting Down With Jesus. Oswald Chambers is so inspiring, and is always on my bedside table.
ReplyDeleteGood post.
ReplyDeleteAmen! What a great post. God gave me a heart for helping the poor over twenty years ago. Thank you so much for sharing this. I loved the story by Chambers. I am now following you on Facebook. Thank you for linking up at Leaving A Legacy.
ReplyDeleteShari
Thank-you all for sharing your wonderful comments! Glad you all stopped by. :)
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