Proverbs 28:27 says:
“The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but the one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.”
These are such strong words they almost sound like a threat! Suppose I stood up and said, “Give to the poor or you’ll be cursed!” You would be appalled. Perhaps you would start looking for another church.
We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we will read, and what parts we will ignore. It is all the Word of God!
Why would God use such strong language? There are always needy people in our city and in our world. Some are poor due to their own behavior. Others are poor for reasons beyond their control. What about the children who are born into destitute situations? They have no control over their circumstances. Some adults have been devastated by disease or downturns.
Why should we help people? Generosity and stinginess both reveal a condition of heart. Generous people have an open heart. An open heart not only gives, it receives. A stingy person has a closed heart. Try to put a penny in a clinched fist. A closed heart, like a clinched fist, cannot receive anything from God. Giving and receiving is not a matter of “having something to give.” It is a matter of giving to receive. God will keep pouring into an open heart. A closed heart, like the Dead Sea, becomes a deadly pool in and around which nothing can thrive.
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