How do you feel about sharing your bounty with others? Are you generous or tight-fisted, cheerful or grumpy? Paul told us in Colossians 3:23 that “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord!” Whew!
When you hear the word “resent,” what do you think of? Have you ever felt resentment? Indignant? Displeased? Felt ill will about something? Insulted? Offended?
I used to feel all of those, every time someone asked for help, and especially if I thought they did not really need it. You may or may not agree with me, but I believe life is getting more expensive all the time! Yes?
My parents taught us to live within our income, preferably with a budget, giving first to the Lord, then paying our bills responsibly, and then, if there was any left over, share if we knew of any needy. You were probably taught the same thing or something similar.
My husband Douglas and I tried to teach our children this principle. They did all right most of the time, but then their children came along, and that was a whole other generation, with prices for even just basic essentials getting higher and higher every day, and their wanting the latest new thing, and having no patience for saving for that thing.
For the 54 years I had with Douglas, I learned from him how to deal with people who asked for help, and to do it in a wise manner and without a harsh attitude.
When approached by someone saying they needed money for gasoline, food, or utility bills, Douglas would say, “Here’s a gas station. Drive in and I’ll pay for a fill-up.” Or, “Let’s go in this store, I’ll push the cart and you put in what you need, and I’ll pay for it.” If they had a utility bill, he would ask for it and tell them he would take care of it. If they were hungry, he’d invite them inside the restaurant and buy their meal.
Never would he give them cash. I told him once, “It would be so much easier to just give them a ten dollar bill and be done with them!” But Douglas liked to talk to them, ask how they got into this situation, and did they know Jesus!
This was his litmus test. The legitimate requests were met with gusto– they inhaled the meal, picked basic groceries, and got a tank full of gasoline. The questionable ones said no, wanted cash, could produce no light bill or water bill, and walked away. Some looked disappointed, some made ugly faces, and one actually called Douglas awful names. But he offered help, and the legitimate ones accepted it thankfully.
It was different when it came to our family. If I knew the circumstances, I felt obligated to help. I guess I was not always glad — if I am being honest.
One time, after our children were grown and gone, I decided to convince Douglas that we should be foster parents. I had read an article about a meeting in Lake Charles where we could get the information and sign up.
Douglas reluctantly agreed to drive us to the meeting, but on the way, he patiently explained about how our family was growing, both on his side and my side, and there were needs popping up constantly. What if we focused on fostering our own family and others who came asking for help?
By the time we reached the Lake Charles city limits, his arguments had convinced me, so he turned the car around and we came home.
Then Douglas showed me scripture in Isaiah 58:6-7(CEV): “I’ll tell you what it really means to worship the Lord: Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused! Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don’t turn away from your own flesh and blood!”
Did you hear that? These are ways that God wants us to worship Him! Share our food! Share our house! Our clothes! Share with the needy and with our own flesh and blood!
And do it with love and with no resentment! Paul told us that in 1 Corinthians 13. If we share our food, house, clothing, and money, anything, but do it without love, it is not worth anything!
So, I had to work on that, and now, I do not have much, but I have enough, and usually, there is a little extra, so I can share with others, even needy family members. Some days I do snarl, grumble, and think ungracious thoughts. I still am a work in progress, but, good news, I have made progress!
That takes supernatural strength and I could not do it on my own. Thank God, He filled me with the Holy Spirit when He saved me, so now the Spirit empowers me to do things like that.
I have not “arrived” yet, but God is certainly helping me grow each day. Praise God for His wonderful help. May we always find biblical ways to worship Him and do it with happy hearts.
Joyce Broyles is a retired High School Library Teacher and resides in Jennings, LA.