The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:21-22)
As the old saying goes, there are givers and there are takers. There are those who would make sacrifice for the sake of complete strangers and there are those who wouldn’t do the simplest thing for those closest to them. As David said, the wicked will take with no intention of repaying; the righteous lend without expecting anything in return. In reality, whether wicked or righteous, whatever we receive in this life is a loan from God given to each of us that we might do our part to advance the common good of our fellowman. As it is written, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness” (Psalm 24:1).
So then, if people take from others and squander it for no worthwhile purpose, they have neglected to acknowledge that every good thing comes from God and, frankly, He has expectations of us all — to whom much is given, much is required. In other words, the greater the “loan” given to someone, the greater his obligation to give something to his fellow in return. When someone accumulates for himself with no concern for others, they have taken — whether they borrowed from others or not — and are thus indebted to God and to His purpose. At some point, He will exact repayment. On the other hand, to those who give and sacrifice for the benefit of others, the world is indebted to them. As it is written, “The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22).
In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, the Messiah speaks to the issue of giving and taking in a slightly different way. He reminds us of just how important it is for us to have a giving heart, not just in matters of money, but also in matters of mercy. In the parable, the servant who was forgiven of much was unwilling to forgive others of a little. As a result he was turned over to those who exacted payment in a much more painful way. The point is, “the righteous shows mercy and gives,” and not expecting anything in return is willing to forgive. In this the righteous micmic the attributes of our Heavenly Father which is why He showers His blessings upon them and why, in the end, they shall inherit the earth.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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