By Angela P.
“He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and He will reward him for what he has done.” Proverbs 19:17
This Scripture came to my heart this week after receiving a rather unfriendly, unjustified, rude, prideful email. I was seeking some insight, wisdom and guidance from another ‘Christian’ based organization working along the same lines as I am in my accountability association here in the Upstate.
The Scripture here mentions ‘poor’ being kind to the ‘poor.’
We quickly will think of ‘poor’ as lack of money.
But I really felt the Holy Spirit was saying ‘poor’ not only in money, but in knowledge, insight, encouragement…. etc.
Poor equating to something lacking.
The amazing thing is that according to the Scripture if you show ‘kindness‘ to the poor then you are LENDING to the Lord.
Wow!! Lending to the Lord?
And HE, the Lord, will repay them.
Repay the person that is being kind to one who is poor?
YEP!
Now, if you are thinking about our GREAT BIG GOD WHO OWNS ALL THINGS and WHO HAS ALL POWER TO ACT will, Himself repay the person who is kind to the poor – the one who is lacking in something, what kind of payment can that be? What kind of reward will our Great and Mighty God give?
Well, it doesn’t say. But you can only imagine. Because we are talking about Adoni. 🙂
It appears that everyone who names the name of Christ should be willing to be kind to the poor by providing and supplying what they need according to their lack. Hhhhmmmm??
Doing good, being kind to those with less than you, rather money, knowledge, encouragement, etc. does pay off because it’s just like lending to the Lord. He says, “I’ll pay their bill off for them.”
It definitely isn’t an opportunity to look down on them for their lack.
However, often we are-not-willing- to give of a resource that we are great in – in order to help someone who is lacking in.
We often think, “I got mine and had to work for mine, now you go get your own.” WE can even look down upon them as not being “worth my time. I have and you do not. So….just go do something with yourself.”
I had that happen to me. :/ But I’m a big girl. Right? Right. 🙂
Well, after being treated and ‘spoken’ to through email this week in a rather harsh -ungodly way from a ‘supposedly godly’ organization, I know first hand how that feels not to be given kindness when you most needed it or at least thought for sure you would receive it from them – a fellow follower of Christ.
It is Stunning.
It is Shocking.
It is Breath-taking.
But then Proverbs 19:17 comes to mind once again.
The Lord says to me, “Angela, Now you go show kindness to someone who is lacking and by doing so you are lending to ME and I WILL repay you MYSELF. Remember how it feels not to receive kindness when you hoped to receive it , then be sure to ALWAYS be quick to operate out of the fruit of kindness that I’ve given to you by MY Holy Spirit. Else you have wasted that fruit of kindness.”
Then quickly I’m reminded of Proverbs 3:27,
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
AND I’M REMINDED OF
Galatians 6:10
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, ESPECIALLY to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Wow!!
I don’t know about you but I have my marching orders.
I CAN NOT worry about where others are in their ability to walk in kindness.
But I MUST worry about where I am in my walk of kindness.
Am I operating out of the fruit of the Spirit, “Love. Joy, Peace, Patience. KINDNESS. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Because against such things there is no law. Meaning, you aren’t doing anything wrong if you operate out of those things. You will not get into trouble doing those things.
I’m deciding to keep Kindness as my companion to all. Because the Lord, with a promise, says He has something for me. And I want all that He has for me without a doubt.
After all, I know that it is GOOD.
Oh…..BETTER THAN GOOD – I bet. 🙂
Right?