March 18 - Deuteronomy 15:11

(The Lord-through-)Moses says,

There will always be some in the land who are poor.

That is why I am commanding you to share freely

with the poor ...

Deuteronomy 15:11

 

As soon as I read that passage, I couldn't help but think of similar (but rather different) words from Jesus in Matthew 26.

 

Let's remember the context first: Just before his death and burial, a loving, weeping, forgiven woman anointed Jesus. Judas, of course, complained about the waste of this very costly perfume. "It could have been sold and the money given to the poor," said the betrayer. But in a hint of what was to come, scripture tells us that Judas didn't care about the poor; rather he kept the disciples' common purse and was embezzling money.

 

Now compare Moses words, "There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor ..." with Jesus' response to Judas: "11 You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."

 

On the surface, these two verses seem to contradict each other. But let's add them together, nonetheless: "Give to the poor. Unless you need to give to Jesus first."

 

But wait! That's not our final equation. About twenty verses before Judas' outburst, Jesus had just finished instruction Judas -- and the rest of his followers: "25:40 Whenever you [fed the hungry, visited the prisoners, welcomed the strangers, or clothed the naked], you did it unto me."

 

Therefore, our new addition reads, "You need to give to Jesus first, and one of the best ways to do that is by giving to the poor."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs to remember

Hebrews 13:2

 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for by doing that some have entertained angels unawares.