Lend. The Greek root - danizó - means lend or borrow. This is a difficult subject, Biblically speaking, since Jesus - our ultimate mentor, didn't use money. I suppose it doesn't have to be reduced to money, it could be as simple as asking to borrow a pencil or a cup of sugar or someones jacket. The point is, in our current society and all the way back to ancient times our human way of thinking demands that when we lend we expect to receive at least the equivalent in return. Jesus asks us to have a different perspective on this lending/borrowing idea.
"If you lend to those from whom you expect to get something back, what thanks do you deserve? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back what they lend." Luke 6:34 ISV
Love is the root, here, again. Lending without expecting repayment is evidence of a deeper trust in God and faith that He will provide for our needs if we were to deplete our surplus. In His great love He takes care of us, so we need to take care of our neighbors in return. If they pay us back - great - but we are asked not to expect that. Expecting repayment is a form of greed, I suppose. Possibly even a bit of idol worship in that we are more focused on the thing, the money or the stuff than in God's purpose in the relationship and His ultimate goal for us to first love Him and then love others. Am I getting "deep" enough for you?
There are several verses in the Bible that speak on lending, sharing or borrowing. Here are a few that spoke quite clearly to me:
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 John 3:17
"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42
"Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." Luke 6:5
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:15-16
"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice." Psalms 112:5
We are to show compassion on those who ask us to lend to them. Love should motivate us in this compassion. The ultimate gift of love is when we do this for our enemies. In reality, in light of Christ's love for us as recipients of His Salvation, His Righteousness, not one should be our enemy with the exception of those that persecute Christ followers for their faith - with those we need to give to them our prayers.
Our ultimate goal as Christians is to spend eternity in the presence of God, praising Him forever. In this passage of thanks we are directed in one more way how we can live our lives here, on earth, to glorify God and show Christ's love. The thanks or credit is in the doing what seems impossible to our nature as sinful beings. However, with God's love dwelling in us as the Holy Spirit we can do the impossible and love our neighbors and even our enemies by lending freely and not expecting repayment. After all, Jesus doesn't expect us to try to repay our debt (of sin) that he freely paid on the cross at Calvary. There's no way we can anyway... but we can show our gratitude by loving like He loves... especially to those that don't deserve it. We didn't deserve that amazing grace did we?
We are to show compassion on those who ask us to lend to them. Love should motivate us in this compassion. The ultimate gift of love is when we do this for our enemies. In reality, in light of Christ's love for us as recipients of His Salvation, His Righteousness, not one should be our enemy with the exception of those that persecute Christ followers for their faith - with those we need to give to them our prayers.
Our ultimate goal as Christians is to spend eternity in the presence of God, praising Him forever. In this passage of thanks we are directed in one more way how we can live our lives here, on earth, to glorify God and show Christ's love. The thanks or credit is in the doing what seems impossible to our nature as sinful beings. However, with God's love dwelling in us as the Holy Spirit we can do the impossible and love our neighbors and even our enemies by lending freely and not expecting repayment. After all, Jesus doesn't expect us to try to repay our debt (of sin) that he freely paid on the cross at Calvary. There's no way we can anyway... but we can show our gratitude by loving like He loves... especially to those that don't deserve it. We didn't deserve that amazing grace did we?
"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b
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