“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and he will give a reward to the lender.” (v. 17)

Two things I’ve noticed about church people:

We are generous. There’s a lot of giving going on, whether through tithes or offerings or special emphases. Church people are generous.

And we are calculating. We weigh the worthiness of ones we might give to. We aim for good stewardship—good management—so we think before we give. Specifically, we think about whether a gift will have its intended effect, whether the recipient will use it rightly, and whether we’d be better off giving somewhere else to someone else. We are calculating.

Have you ever thought about the fact that none of what happens after you give is really your concern?

Your life of giving comes down to just one relationship: you, and the Lord. You are called to give because of Him, who has given you everything. The final tabulation isn’t about what they will do with it. He is the One working in their lives. You and I are merely called to operate with the confidence that God makes good on all our investments in His name.

So “loan” what is in your hands to Him, through them. And trust that He will repay as He sees fit.

— Tyler