34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:34-36 NIV)
God expects his children to be generous givers, not counting the cost. We should be willing to make loans to people who are in need without concerning ourselves with whether we will even be repaid. That is radical thinking in our modern society when the majority of the people consider that the purpose of a loan is for the lender to make money off of the borrower through interest. High interest lenders will knock themselves out for the opportunity to lend you money having no concern for whether you can make more than a minimum payment. But this verse makes it clear that we are not to look for repayment, let alone interest. Many lukewarm Christians fall short on this command from the Lord.
Does this mean we are to give money freely to anyone who asks? Only if it will truly help them. We do not help the drug addict by giving him money to buy another “fix.” We do not help a person who doesn’t want to get a job by enabling them to freeload off of us.
Peter responded to the beggar saying, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6 NIV) It is a matter of good stewardship to give what would be truly helpful, not simply what was requested.
Copyright © 2008 by Janice Green
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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