Lend

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35, 36 ESV)

Lend, expecting nothing in return

Often  in our work as a truck drivers going all over the United States, my husband and I will see people looking for a handout. They stand on street corners or at the ends of exit ramps or even just outside the doors to restaurants and stores. Many claim to be veterans of our country, some will have wives or children with them and all of them look ragged and tired.

We used to help them all. We gave to each one that we saw, but soon realized that we couldn't keep up. It was like throwing a bit of bread into the air for a seagull, soon there are hundreds and they will peck you to pieces. 

We almost never give away money any more, but instead will offer food or buy them a lunch. None of them have ever declined our food. They take it graciously and with many thanks. 

My heart has been blessed several times over by helping someone else.

It is not up to me to speculate about their motives. God knows we are giving with the right attitudes in our hearts.

His word speaks about this, here are only a few examples.

Deuteronomy 15:8-10 ESV 

But you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.

Matthew 5:42 ESV Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

You see, God doesn't want me to question what this person is going to do with the money or if they will just throw the food away. He wants me to help whenever there is one with a need and I have the ability.

It is so much easier to help a family member or church member. But God is waiting to see how generous we are with the gifts that He gives to us; to anyone that should have a need.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV)

What can you lend(give) today to someone? Can you share you money, food, clothing, time, your kindness, your hands to help someone, your eyes to read for the elderly, your tenderness for a sick child? 

Just do not do these things with the thought of getting something in return, always give to just help.

What if God only gave blessings to those Who gave back to Him. What if God only gave you today what you thanked Him for yesterday?

Again, Later this week I will talk about this subject in our verses.

D. Be merciful (kind to the ungrateful and evil)