A minimum of eight of my close brothers in Christ are without work right now.   Yesterday, my son Stephen brought up this topic.     He asked the question, “How do you balance the responsibility of saving for my potential future  (needs)  with giving to others’ present needs.”  This is a classic question we all ask ourselves.  How do we balance our “responsibility” to take care of our present and future needs with the biblical mandate to assist others in their present need?

I know of others who read books by financial gurus and have become focused on the first responsibility by saving as much as possible, paying off their houses, preparing for retirement etc … in order to be wise.  But I wonder what truly is the wise decision in these times.   Or may we be the ones referred to by our brother James?

James 2:14-17   What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? …   Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,  and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”– but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?   So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Paul certainly stated quite clearly that generosity “accrued” profits to our own accounts (Phil 4.17).  Generosity is the safest guarantee of a good and secure future.  So what is our responsibility to bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6.2)?   Jonathon Edwards said that in order to truly bear another’s burden necessitated that it be a burden to us…. otherwise it is no burden.   In other words, does our giving actually effect our standard of living or do we give just enough so as not to “rock our boat?”

2 Corinthians 8:12-14   Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.  Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.

Do you have plenty right now?  Or like me, are you afraid to give radically for those in need simply because when your need may come, others, who have an abundance will not step forward to meet your need?  So a sort of paralysis kicks in and we don’t do anything.   But this should not dictate our actions.  We MUST act and we must act now!

We are even encouraged by examples of those who gave sacrificially in the midst of their own poverty…

2 Corinthians 8:1-4   Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.  They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.  They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.

There are so many more commands and promises in the bible concerning generosity.  In our individualistic society it is certainly challenging to look beyond our own needs.   The only sure guarantee for a secure future is by humble obedience and trust in the Lord’s commands.   Lord, move our hearts to be the community of believers!