Those who know me know that I am a nerd. I love to study the Word of God. So, I recently started research interpreting a verse in 1 John. While doing research on the context of the verse, I came across this one.
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” - 1 John 3:16-18
Having grown up in the church, I have heard this verse. However, when I read it, it kicked me in the butt. Things clicked and I was challenged.
Beware lest you harbor the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt. Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land. - Deuteronomy 15:9-11
Really quickly, I will explain the meaning of this verse. Every seven years, according to the Law, all debt must be forgiven. This passage addresses the people who might say, “Well, I’ll be cruel in collecting my debt because I want as much as possible before I can’t collect my payments anymore.” Those people will be guilty. God desires mercy for all.
That being said, does the love of God really abide in us? This passage points out to important things. First of all, it is a sin to have no mercy upon those in debt. We are to forgive the debts. After all, didn’t Jesus forgive our debt? Jesus speaks of this exact thing is Matthew 18:21-35.
The second detail is that there will never be a person who is not needy. This is a universal truth. Even the wealthiest of nations has poor men, women, and children outside of their houses. Those are to whom we should be opening our hands.
When we see that somebody needs food, clothes, and shelter, as ambassadors of Christ, we should be helping them. That is how we know that God’s love abides in us. Does God’s love abide in you?
I helped two homeless people in one day. One of them was a young lady. The other was an older gentleman. The older gentleman complained to me about how nobody ever gives him money, but they’ll give money to the ladies all day. So, sure, maybe you gave a McDonalds gift card to a lady on the road. But was it truly out of love the love of God? After all, the love of God, if it abides in us, does not differentiate between Jew, Greek, slave, gentile, male, or female (Galatians 3:28, 1 Timothy 2:3-4).
Then love in deed. Do not differentiate. Find the poor, the sick, and the broken, and love them all. Don’t pick and choose by saying, “Well, I only have 400 dollars. I’m going to give a 20 dollar gift card to her because she looks like she is in a worse position in life.” No. I challenge you to say, “Well, I have 400 dollars. I’m going to give a 20 dollar gift card to her. I’m also giving a 20 dollar gift card to him.”
Opening your hand to the needy (plural) is one of the most obvious markers of one with whom the love of God abides.