Deuteronomy 15:11

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

This passage from Deuteronomy is a sobering one for us today, and also one that reveals to us the heart of God towards the poor. The pictures of being tightfisted or openhanded with others is a really helpful way of understanding our relationship both with our possessions and our neighbors. Are we grasping on to what we have, or are we simply holding it out and sharing it with those around us?

I also find it significant that God classifies showing ill will towards the poor as a sin. He says this specifically after referring to the Sabbath year, where all debts are cancelled and slaves released. If this Sabbath year was approaching, it makes sense that many people would be quite hesitant to loan things to their neighbors because they almost certainly would not be paid back for it adequately. And God recognized this and warned His people against this kind of “ill will” towards the poor among us.

How do we show the same kind of ill will towards the poor among us today?

Do we tighten our fists when we see the homeless person walking by us on the street? Do we ignore the call of a family member we know is often calling to ask for our help again? Do we quickly offer a shallow promise of prayer to a friend in real need, rather than open our hands and allow them to share in the blessings God has generously provided? 

Obviously any one of these situations is complex and the best response to people in need is different with each person and situation. But nonetheless, are we really being openhanded with all that God gives, or are we clenching on to what was never ours to begin with?

Jesus also reminds us that there will always be poor among us (John 12:8). This is an acknowledgement that until God renews this world, there will always be brokenness. But as God’s chosen people, we are called to live open handed and generous with those around us. When we live this way, we embody the kingdom of God in this broken world and offer a foretaste of God’s eternal kingdom where there will be no more poverty, both spiritually and physically. 

Who are the people in your life that God is asking you to be generous with today? Maybe a family member who has been struggling to find work, a coworker dealing with financial burdens, or a neighbor you haven’t really talked to much but you can tell something isn’t right?

How might God be calling you to be generous? Opening your hand wide to your neighbor might mean more than offering finances, but also your time, emotional energy, or resources you have that are important to you.