How can you personally apply "lend him whatever he needs" in your life? Setting the Scene “‘But you are to open your hand to him and freely lend him sufficient for his need in whatever it is.’” (Deuteronomy 15:8) This command sits in a passage dealing with the Sabbatical year, when debts were to be canceled and the poor were to be cared for. God’s people were to reflect His generosity, trusting that He would replenish whatever they released. What “Lend” Really Means • More than a business transaction—it is an act of mercy. • Not a grudging hand-out, but an open-handed partnership with God’s provision. • A tangible way to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39). Guarding the Heart from Common Excuses • Fear of loss: Remember Proverbs 19:17—“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done.” • Judgment of worthiness: God warns against hardening the heart (Deuteronomy 15:7). He Himself “sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). • Waiting for surplus: The widow of Zarephath gave from her last handful of flour (1 Kings 17:8-16); God sustained her. Practical Ways to Lend Whatever Is Needed Financial help • Micro-loans or interest-free loans to a struggling friend. • Covering a utility bill or rent for a family in crisis. • Keeping a dedicated “generosity fund” in your budget. Material help • Loaning tools, vehicles, or equipment instead of letting them sit idle (Luke 6:30). • Sharing groceries or household staples with someone between paychecks. Relational and skill-based help • Tutoring a student who can’t afford lessons. • Offering professional expertise—legal, medical, mechanical—without charge. Time and presence • Babysitting so exhausted parents can rest. • Driving an elder to appointments. • Sitting with someone in grief or illness (2 Corinthians 1:4). Safeguards for Wisdom and Integrity • Document agreements when large sums or items are involved (Romans 13:8). • Encourage responsibility without enabling harmful patterns (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). • Seek counsel from mature believers when uncertain (Proverbs 15:22). The Promise Behind the Command “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over…” (Luke 6:38). Obedient lending positions you to witness God’s faithfulness; He replenishes what you release so you can keep on giving (2 Corinthians 9:8-11). Walking It Out This Week • Identify one resource—money, item, skill, or time—you can make available. • Pray over it, asking God whom to bless. • Act promptly when He nudges. Delay often turns generosity into good intentions never realized. • Journal the outcome, noting how God meets both their need and yours. Open hands invite heaven’s provision into earthly lack. Live ready to lend whatever is needed, and watch God write stories of provision through you. |
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