This post was made in response to this awesome post. Find the link [Here]
Kindly watch my video below:
These are the amazing things I learned from Bro. Eli Soriano's teaching on the above-mentioned topic in addition to my own personal research as well.
Matthew 5:42 (NIV)
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Everywhere Jesus went, He was doing good. If we are to model our lives according to Him, then we should try as much as possible to do the same. Even though we don't have the economic obligation to do it but we should try and give to those who ask of us.
Personally, I would also say, if anyone asks of you and you don't have much. You don't have to give them everything they asked for, except your faith can carry it but do the part you can. The bottom line is, make them better than you met them. Even if you can't afford it, if all you can do is point them in the right direction where they can get the help, never cease to help in any way, because I understand there are times we don't even have it on us and if it's me, I would feel bad that I am unable to give. I love giving.
Economically, we have no financial need for those who need our help but spiritually, we have that obligation to those who need help around us.
Luke 6:35 (NIV)
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
I understand that there are terrible ways people ask when we borrow them money and most people try to take advantage of us. It is human nature but God wants us to imbibe Godly nature. When Jesus gathered the multitude He told them that it was not because they love the Word that was why they were gathered but because of what they would eat, seeing the last miracle He did when He fed the multitude. It is human nature to take advantage of others and that's why the Bible wants us to die to ourselves. Most of the times, we try to accommodate our human nature by justifying it so we can find a way around what God had already instructed.
Exodus 22:25 (NIV)
“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.
Spiritually, we have financial obligations to those who need our help. How do we claim we love God when we don't show love to others. Jesus told the disciples that when He was in prison, nobody visited Him, when He was hungry, nobody fed Him and all that. The disciples asked when they saw Him in all of these and He said as much as they have not done it to those around, they have not done it to Him. He wants us to love others as He has loved us. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us for what love can be greater than this that a man laid down His life for His friends.
John 3:16 perfectly says everything we need to know about God's love and we should also extend that hand of love to others. As we have freely received, we must freely give.
1John 3:17 (NIV)
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
God wants us to have the spirit of compassion and the spirit of giving because that is who He is. We have that obligation to people we don't even owe anything. It is our duty as Christians to see to the well-being of others. We are to show Christ and make others see God's love through us. We are the closest they might get to understanding the love of God when they don't even have access to the Bible yet.
Psalm 37:21 (NIV)
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
Romans 13:7&8 (NIV)
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
The above scriptural passages are self-explanatory. If you owe any man you must pay and if you have more than enough, don't build a taller fence but rather build a longer table because that is what Jesus would do. Having the spirit of compassion and giving is what is required of us as Christians to our fellow humans.
When you borrow, payback and when others borrow from you, do not add any interest whatsoever. We are to make life easier for others and not to make things difficult.
Thank you for your time.
My pen doesn't bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.
Still me,
My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
Olawalium; (Love's chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor's order.