Blessings were promised to those who were generous in aiding the poor and needy. Eventually, the notion developed that almsgiving had power to atone for the giver's sins. 'He who looks down on his neighbours sins, blessed is he who takes pity on the poor. The man who is kind to the poor lends to Yahweh: he will repay him for what he has done.' - Pro. 14:21, 19:17 - In the Old Testament, the Israelite was commanded to be generous in opening his hand wide to the poor and needy. Gleanings from vineyards, orchards, olives groves and fields should be made available to the poor and needy. - Ruth 2:1-23 -

Is there a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any town of yours in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you? Do not harden your heart or close your hand against that poor brother of yours, but be open-handed with him and lend him enough for his needs. Do not allow this mean thought in your heart. "The seventh year, the year of remission is near" and look coldly on your poor brother and give him nothing; he could appeal against you to Yahweh and it would be a sin for you. When you give to him, you must give with an open heart; for this Yahweh your God will bless you in all you do and in all your giving. Of course there will never cease to be poor in the land; I command you therefore: Always be open-minded with your brothers, and with anyone in your country who is in need and poor. - Duet. 15:7-11 -

By Jesus' time, the word righteousness was tied closely to the word alms. Thus, when Jesus taught about 'alms-giving' or 'charitable deeds', prayer, fasting, He prefaced His teachings by saying, 'Beware of practicing your piety and righteousness before men in order to attract attention and seen by them.' - Matt. 6:1-18 - In this way Jesus taught that the giving of alms to the needy and poor must not become a theatrical display to people's applause; the praise that comes from God is far more important.

In the New Testament, the Book of Acts comments favourably  on several instances of alms-giving. At Jaffa there was a woman disciple called Tabitha or Dorcas in Greek, who never tired of doing good or giving in charity. But the time came when she got ill and died, and they washed her and laid her out in a room upstairs, Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men with an urgent message for him, Come and visit us as soon as possible.' Peter went back with them straightaway, and on his arrival they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, 'Tabitha, stand up.' She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the saints and widows and showed them she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord. - Acts 9:36-42 -

One of the centurions of the Italica cohort stationed in Caesarea was called Cornelius. He and the whole of his household were devout and God-fearing, and he gave generously to Jewish causes and prayed constantly to God. One day at about the ninth hour he had a vision in which he distinctly saw the angel of God come into his house, and call out to him, 'Cornelius!' He stared at the vision in terror and exclaimed, 'What is it, Lord?' 'Your offering of prayers and alms' the angel answered 'has been accepted by God. Now you must send someone to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, known as Peter, who is lodging with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.' When the angel who said this had gone, Cornelius called two of the slaves and a devout soldier of his staff, told them what had happened, and sent them off to Jaffa.

Next day, while they still on their journey and had only a short distance to go before reaching Jaffa, Peter went to the housetop at about the sixth hour to pray. He felt hungry and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its four corners; it contained every possible sort of animal and bird, walking, crawling or flying ones. A voice then said to him, 'Now, Peter; kill and eat!' But Peter answered, 'Certainly not, Lord; I have never yet eaten anything profane or unclean.' Again, a second time, the voice spoke to him, 'What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane.' This was repeated three times, and then suddenly the container was drawn up to heaven again.

Peter was still worrying over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men sent by Cornelius arrived. They had asked where Simon's house was and they were now standing at the door, calling out to know if the Simon known as Peter was lodging there. Peter's mind was still on the vision and the Spirit had to tell him, 'Some men have come to see you. Hurry down, and do not hesitate about going back with them; it was I who told them to come. Peter went down and said to them, 'I am the man you are looking for; why have you come?' They said, 'The centurion Cornelius, who is an upright and God-fearing man, highly regarded by the entire Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to send for you and bring you to his house and to listen to what you have to say.' So Peter asked them in and gave them lodging.

Next day, he was ready to go off with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Jaffa. They reached Caesarea the following day, and Cornelius was waiting for them. He had asked his relations and close friends to be there, and as Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. 'Stand up' he said 'I am only a man after all!' Talking together they went in to meet all the people assembled there, and Peter said to them, 'You know it is forbidden for Jews to mix with people of another race and visit them, but God has made it clear to me that I must not call anyone profane or unclean.

That is why I made no objection to coming when I was sent for; but I should like to know exactly why you sent for me.' Cornelius replied, 'Three days ago I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, when I suddenly saw a man in front of me in shinning robes. He said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been accepted as a sacrifice in the sight of God; so now you must send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter who is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea." So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Here we all are, assembled in front of you to hear what message God has given you for us.' Then Peter addressed them: 'The truth I have come to realise' he said is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. - Acts 10:1-35 -

If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, 'I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty' without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that? Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead. This is the way to talk to people of that kind: You say you have faith and I have good deeds; I will prove to you that I have faith by showing you my good deeds - now you prove to me that you have faith without any good deeds to show. - James 2:16-18 -

Then, as now, God acknowledges those who gave alms generously and in other ways show compassion to the needy and the poor. "If a man who was rich enough in this world's, and saw that one of his brothers or sisters was in need, but closed his heart to him or her, how could the love of God be living in him/her?

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -