A LIFE OF GENEROSITY

Deuteronomy 15:1-15

Friday, 12 September 2025

“You will receive this blessing if you are careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today.”   -Deuteronomy 15:5 [NLT]

The Lord God wanted His people to remember how they were once slaves and He redeemed them and now would bless them in their land. He reminded the Israelites of this fact very often so that they would not act wickedly to their fellow brethren. As believers in Christ Jesus, we are expected to behave in the same manner. As people redeemed from the bondage of sin, we are called to display God’s mercy and love though our living and giving.

There are three spiritual principles we can follow from today’s reading that will show the world that we are the Lord’s “set-apart” people: 

I. To release – (V.2) Here the law requires not to expect back what was lent to a fellow brother: meaning all debts were cancelled after every seven years— with regards to money. Now, this passage may not apply to modern industrial society, but the principle is still to be upheld. Jesus uses this principle to drive home another important aspect in Matthew 18:21-35. He talks about another release we are called to give our fellow brethren in Christ –“forgiveness from the wrongs he/she has done against us.”Explaining the story of the unmerciful servant to the disciples, Jesus tells us that we are required to forgive someone who has wronged us, 70 times 7. Not just 7 times but innumerable times!! Maybe nobody owes you any money. But does someone need a release from your unforgiveness? 

Today is that day. So go do likewise.

II. To open – (Vs.7&8) Very often as believers we are tight-fisted. There may be much need around us. Yet the Lord expects us to give the ones in need to the best of our ability: for it is more blessed to give than to receive. Verses 7 & 9 talk about 3 attitudes seen in someone who is a “poor giver”

➢ A hardened heart – This is an unregenerate heart that hasn’t received the grace of God.

➢ Shut hand – This is a life that does not acknowledge that all that he/she possesses are not really theirs but God’s.

➢ Wicked thoughts – Flows out of a wicked heart that is desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9 )

But Jesus very clearly lays down the method of giving that every believer must follow in Matthew 6:1-4. Our giving must be done 

i) to the Lord     ii) in secret   iii) expecting no accolades from men 

One couple who failed this test was Annanias & Sapphira (Acts 5). They wanted to make a “big deal” of their giving; but their wrong attitude cost them their lives. Which attitude is ours?

III. To Supply (Vs.12-15): The last group of people to be blessed are the servants. The Lord instructs His people to give liberally, out of the Lord’s abundance, when their servants are released (v.14). “Servants” in our context can be equated to servants of God, our missionaries who have given up everything to go and serve the Lord wherever He leads them to. 

This is where the church steps in to help! Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:8 [NLT] says: I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. Paul did not take anything for himself but used the money so that the Corinthian church would hear the gospel. Shouldn’t we the church understand this today? How can missions take place if we don’t support and supply liberally towards the work of the extension of the Kingdom of God?

Can we pray asking God to give us open hearts and hands to bless our fellow believers in need?

Quote for the Day: “Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:8

Listen: 'The Giving Song'