Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ” Matthew five is the first chapter of Jesus' famous "Sermon on the Mount." It's the chapter in which Jesus teaches His eight "beatitudes" (V:3-11), invites them to be the "salt of the earth" (V:13) and the "light of the world" (V:14-16), and commands them to be "perfect" and their "Father in heaven is perfect" (V:48). So, there is nothing average asked of you in this beautiful, but extremely demanding set of commands.
In verse 42, Jesus adds one more demand of us. He says we have a duty to give to those who "beg of us"—and we should not "refuse" to lend to those who ask to "borrow" something from us. Wow! What a challenging command. Of course, Jesus' isn't saying that you necessarily give money to the guy who is begging while holding a sign that says: "I'm not going to life! I'll use the money for pot!" But He does say that we should be conscious that there are needs and, He has blessed us with means.
So, whether you donate to a food bank, spend time serving in a food kitchen, carry gift cards for food at McDonalds, and let friends borrow things you would rather not lend, God here commands us to be free with our means—because we are all "beggars," constantly asking God for "forgiveness" or "aid," so how can we turn others down when they do the same to us, if our goal is to become like the very God who gives?
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
