July 23 -- "God's Peculiar Economics: Take Less to Have More"

 Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 24 & 25

"God's Peculiar Economics:Take Less to Have More"

God’s laws place a great deal of emphasis on human rights, protections for the defenseless, and care for the needy.  God’s people were commanded to show mercy to those in debt and not to trample on the rights of the poor.  Employers were to be considerate to their employees. Justice was not to favor the rich and powerful. Torture was never to be used to force confessions from suspected lawbreakers. Even farmers were to be kind to their animals and allow them to eat as they worked the fields.

The expression, "the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow" is repeated more than a dozen times in the Old Testament.  Each time it appears, the LORD is commanding His people to be concerned for those who are less fortunate than themselves.  In Psalm 146:9, we are told that “The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless.”  God is concerned about those in need, and He expects us to be concerned as well.

Here, the Israelites are told not to go back to get the droppings of sheaves left behind when they reap their harvest.  No, they should leave them there for fellow citizens in need.  That way, the immigrants, orphans, and widows would have the means for their necessary nutrition. God exhorts the harvesters to do this so that “God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”  In other words, you will have more if you take less.  This principle presents us with a paradox, as God’s Word often does.  It seems absurd to our human nature that if we take less, we will have more.  We are wired to squeeze every last penny of profit for ourselves.  But God insists that there is a greater spiritual principle at work here – one that contradicts our human nature. One that says God will reward our generosity.

God says that His people should never be overly diligent to squeeze the last penny of profit out of any venture. The reality is that if you try to “keep it all for yourself,” you will end up with less in the end.  As we read in Proverbs 11:24, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”  In other words, the world of those who are generous gets larger and larger, but the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

I would encourage you today to build some generosity into your financial life. Budget to give freely to those in need.  Protect the defenseless.  Care for the needy.  Don’t stockpile it all for yourself, but give consideration to others.  Take less to have more. You will be blessed with the riches of God if you do.