Love that needs faith to be itself
Those who are generous are blessed,
For they share their bread with the poor. Psalm 57:3
Read 2 Corinthians 8:10—15
I am unsure how far I want to follow down the path opened up by these verses because I live in a culture where ‘commercial confidentiality’ means you can keep quiet about your financial arrangements. At a personal level I am not used to broadcasting my own financial position. I like to be thought worse off than I am. Certainly, too, there are many around me who, however inquisitive they were, would feel it a bit rude to ask me what I was worth. But I’m in company with Christians. Not only of my era and culture, but with the whole catholic church, of all ages. And the first Christians, I can see, really did look to break out of their privacy.[1] If I can learn from them I’ll be willing to tune in to anyone whose need I am in a situation to supply, and I won’t be too protective of myself.
Loving God, I thank you that you supply my daily need. You teach me to pray for daily bread. And you place me among brothers and sisters. You expose me to the needs that I can meet, and you grow my heart into your nature as I respond. I need to grow in faith as I learn generosity. Let me be rich in both, in generosity and in faith. Let me be rich in the very acts of love and grace and generosity that I need real faith to do.
[1] Acts 4:32—5:11