A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he will never be shaken. (Psalm 112:5-6)

Like it or not, lending and borrowing are a part of life because no one, not even the richest, can claim to be entirely self sufficient. All of us, in some way, require the help of someone else. More importantly, all of us are deeply indebted to the Creator because He alone has bestowed upon us the gift of life and the means, whether great or small, to function in this world. Unfortunately, far too many have repaid His goodness with sin and disobedience. Nevertheless, He continues to be compassionate toward us, forgiving us of our selfishness and misdeeds. In this manner, He has set a standard before us that we should strive to emulate — just as He is gracious to us, we should be gracious to others.

One of the ways we can demonstrate this ideal is to help those less fortunate than we by lending to those in need. Messiah actually addressed this saying, “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away” (Matthew 5:42). He went on to say, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). In Hebrew thinking, to have a “good eye” is to be thoughtful and generous toward others. Consequently, anyone who sees another with a  legitimate need and then turns away is regarded as having a “bad eye” and full of darkness. In short, God’s people should not be stingy and inconsiderate; we should be cheerful givers, both to God and to our fellowman.

It is written, “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses” (Proverbs 28:27). The psalmist concurs with this statement saying that those who deal graciously with others “will never be shaken.” But it is also important to remember that, as with any matter, one must employ wisdom in how we give and what we lend to those who cross our path. The fact of the matter is the resources we have are not really ours but God’s. We are merely the stewards of what belongs to Him and, therefore, we should use those resources in a way that pleases Him. We should always be compassionate as He is compassionate; He gives freely as should we. At the same time, we must be good and wise stewards of His resources and “guide our affairs with discretion.”

Remember, no one is completely self sufficient; we all need help from time to time. That said, may we all have a “good eye” toward others and a heart that desires to honor our Master. May our good works always bring glory to His Name.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill