“WHATEVER IT MAY BE!”

Deuteronomy 15:7-11                                            (ESV)

“7 "If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your GOD is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,

8 but you shall OPEN YOUR HAND to him and lend him SUFFICIENT FOR HIS NEED, “WHATEVER IT MAY BE”.

9 Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, 'The seventh year, the year of release is near,' and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin.

10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.

11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, TO THE NEEDY and TO THE POOR, “

It is extremely difficult to let go of something that the LORD has blessed you with.  If we get $100 in our checking account, some of us act as though it ALL OURS!  And some of us act as though 90% is ours and 10% belongs to the LORD.  BUT, IN REALITY, do you know that when I was near death in 2007, I wasn’t asked if I could afford it, or how did I expect to pay for my hospital bill!  The doctors and people treating me didn’t inquire about my financial situation, they only were concerned with my physical situation, mainly my brain hemorrhage!!!

Now, for those who WON’T work, who choose not to provide for themselves or their families, let him NOT EAT!  2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (ESV) says “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, LET HIM NOT EAT.  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.  Now such persons we command and encourage in the LORD JESUS CHRIST to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”  We aren’t supposed to facilitate laziness and being slothful.  However, we are to lovingly support those who we SEE who are going through difficult times.  

Of course, I had NO CHOICE about the situation I found myself in during my illness.  Allowing others to assist was a humbling experience, but the whole thing was a learning process that GOD has used to grow me into a vessel that HE can be Glorified with.  GOD has a unique way of opening our EYES to SEE needs that HE wants to fulfill.  HE can provide, “WHATEVER IT MAY BE”, for HIS Glory!