We are exhorted over 200 times in the Bible to REJOICE. The word “rejoice” means to experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated; to express great joy or delight. When God calls upon us to rejoice, does that mean we are supposed to go around with a smile on our face all the time? Are we supposed to deny...
God’s laws place a great deal of emphasis on human rights, protections for the defenseless, and care for the needy. God’s people were commanded to show mercy to those in debt and not to trample on the rights of the poor. Employers were to be considerate to their employees. Justice was not to favor the rich and...
Several years ago,
during a very difficult financial time, a friend of ours sent my wife and I some money
in the mail. The note with the money
read, “This is not a loan. It is a gift
to you. All we ask is that one day, when
you’re back on your feet, that you do the same for someone else in need.” Wow!
What a blessing. They trusted God
and we received a much-needed lift.
God’s Word says that
people can “wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs” (1Timothy 6:10) when they allow money to have an improper hold on their hearts.
That’s why the Bible contains hundreds of verses on how God wants us to treat
money, and this includes the lending of it.
Essentially, the
Israelites were not permitted to charge interest when they loaned money to a
needy brother. They could, however, charge interest on loans made to
foreigners. This rule was part of the Mosaic Law: “If you lend money to one of
my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no
interest.” (Exodus 22:25)
The purpose of the law
was two-fold: (1) Charging the person interest would only make their financial
situation worse; and (2) God promised a blessing on the gracious lender that
would be far more than the interest they would have charged.
In the New Testament,
Jesus tells us not to “turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42). He applied this principle even to our enemies in their
time of need: “But love your enemies and lend to them without expecting
to get anything back. Then your reward will be great” (Luke 6:35).
There are numerous
passages throughout the Bible exhorting us to have a generous and giving heart,
especially to the less fortunate. The
clear teaching of the Bible is that God expects His children to act generously
when lending money, or anytime they see someone in need. And always remember
that our ability to produce wealth comes from God (Deuteronomy 8:18), so it is important that we treat money with an open hand.
One way you can bless a
person in need today is to offer them a financial gift with no strings attached. And, if at all possible, do it anonymously so “that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:4)
In the first part of chapter 22, Moses gives a collection of brief exhortations about day-to-day living. He urges the people to act in such a way that is caring and helpful to those around them. Today, these short exhortations might fall under the heading of “Good Samaritan Laws.” The gist of most...
In Israel, any person who was executed for breaking God’s law was considered as bearing a “curse” in his body. A curse is the opposite of a blessing: a blessing is a pronouncement of good fortune because one participates in God's plans and promises, a curse is a...
God’s laws are true and so practical and real-world. Here Moses gives God’s laws regarding eyewitnesses. Of primary importance under these laws is that nothing shall be decided upon the testimony of a single witness. The purpose of...
Are you listening to “the Prophet?” In today’s passage, Moses gives the people the promise of a coming One – a Prophet who is to come in the future. This is a prophetic statement about the...
Key Verse: “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” (v.34) Big Idea: What we honor quietly shapes who we...
