A father gave his little boy 50 pence  and told him he could use it any way he wanted. Later when dad asked about it, the boy told him that he had lent it to someone. “Who did you lend it to?” he asked. The boy answered, “I gave it to a poor man on the street because he looked hungry.”

“Oh, that was foolish. You’ll never get it back,” replied the father. “But Daddy, the Bible says that people who give to the poor lend to the Lord.”

The father was so pleased with the son’s reply that he gave the boy another 50 pence. “See,” said the son. “I told you I would get it back—only I didn’t think it would be so soon!”

Has the Lord ever asked you for a loan? Have you ever recognised in the needs of others a direct request from heaven to give some of what you have to fulfil the needs of others? The Bible warns against the sin of passing by the needy with self-righteous words while keeping a tight grip on our wallets (James 2:14-17). And Galatians 6:10 says that we are to “do good to all”.

We aren’t promised that we’ll get rewarded immediately. But in Jesus’ teaching to His followers about His return, He says we will be rewarded for giving of ourselves to others in His name (Matt. 25:34-46).

Author

Henry G. Bosch

Topics

Our Daily Bread