Give
Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. Luke 6:30
Yesterday as I wrote about being God’s ambassador by responding to others the way He does, the Holy Spirit showed me the answer to a question I have had for quite a while now. I wasn’t even asking the question at the time, but the words jumped off the page and into my heart as I was reading through the dose before posting.
I have had the question many times, in fact every time that I see someone on the street asking for money. How do I know when it is the right time to give and the right people to give to? I have struggled with this question many times to the point that I have prepared envelopes with funds in them to be ready when the opportunity comes, and the Holy Spirit is directing me.
When I read through yesterdays message, these words jumped off the page and into my heart in an instant, answered those questions and sealed my response to those I see from this day forward. Give to everyone who asks of you. How freeing this was to me after years of struggling with what the right thing to do is. I don’t have to wonder if a person is worthy or deserving. In fact, I am quite sure they are not. Just as I was not worthy and deserving when He pulled me out of many pits that I had gotten myself into, these are people that are in trouble and many of them by their own doing. That isn’t the point. The point is that God wants to rescue them as much as He wanted to rescue me all those times when I made bad decisions. Even today, I am not perfect and still mess things up, But my Father is faithful to comes running to the rescue every time I ask. He never tells me how underserving I am, He just scoops me up and carries me to safety! His love is so good!
So now I am prepared to give every time. I have prepared a gift and message to give to those who ask. They are thankful for the money and may or may not read the message that was attached, but that is not my place to judge. I am doing my part and that is all I need to be concerned about. I pray over that gift and that message for the Holy Spirit to draw them in and then the rest is up to Him. I planted the seed of God’s love and watered it with my prayer. I believe He is powerful enough to reach through that gift into the heart of the receiver. My perspective has changed so I know where and when to give. I give at every opportunity that is presented to me. As much as I believe the Holy Spirit can reach their heart, I also believe that He has led me to them that day at the precise time that they are ready to receive His love.
Today I want to encourage you to give to everyone who asks. When you see people on the side of the road begging, remember they are asking. Be a blessing to them despite the predicament they are currently living in. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with your own heart so that you can see these as hurting people in need of a Savior. Make a plan ahead of time of how you will share God’s love with them. Include a scripture or a tract with a generous financial blessing and help them to gain a new understanding that He wants to rescue them from the trouble they are in. Be ready also, when others have a need, to help them get through their current struggle and use every opportunity of giving to others as a occasion to share God’s love and great salvation with them. Then you will be walking out the words that Jesus spoke when He said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. (See Acts 20:35)
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:37-42
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
The Daily Dose 