A loan to the Lord

He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given. — Proverbs 19:17

A father gave his little boy 50 cents and told him he could use it any way he wanted. Later when Dad asked about it, the boy told him that he had lent it to someone.

"Who did you lend it to?" he asked. The boy answered, "I gave it to a poor man on the street because he looked hungry."

"Oh, that was foolish. You’ll never get it back," replied the father. "But Daddy, the Bible says that people who give to the poor lend to the Lord."

The father was so pleased with the son’s reply that he gave the boy another 50 cents. "See," said the son. "I told you I would get it back — only I didn’t think it would be so soon!"

Has the Lord ever asked you for a loan? Have you ever recognized in the needs of others a direct request from heaven for some of what you have? The Bible warns against the sin of passing by the needy with pious words while keeping a tight grip on our wallets (James 2:14-17). And Galatians 6:10 says that we are to "do good to all."

We aren’t promised that we’ll get rewarded immediately. But in Jesus’ teaching to His followers about His return. He says we will be rewarded for giving of ourselves to others in His name (Matt. 25:34-46). — Henry Bosch

Give as you would to the Master
If you met His searching look;
Give as you would of your substance
If His hand your offering took! — Anon.

READ: Matthew 25:34-46

You may give without loving but you can’t love without giving.

The Bible in one year:

• Judges 16-18
• Luke 7:1-30