Deuteronomy 15:7-11 – Cultivating a generous spirit

In instructing that all debts be discharged every Sabbath year, God was teaching His people generosity. Obeying this command would go toward building a caring community. But knowing the tendency of fallen man, God anticipated that there would be some who would harden their hearts and not lend a hand to help their brethren. So here in Deuteronomy 15:7-8, God warned the children of Israel against such hardheartedness. He told them specifically not to deny a poor man among them of supply but instead freely offer him so that he would lack nothing in living. 

In verse 9, God also anticipated that some would be calculative. Seeing that the Sabbath year was approaching, and they would be obligated to discharge their debtors, they would then resort to acting heartlessly toward them. God would not allow heartlessness among His people. He wanted them to remain compassionate, generous, and concerned even in such a situation. So verses 10-11 prescribed what they must do. He wanted them to have an ungrudging heart, an open and generous hand, and a sympathetic eye. With such a heart, hand, and eye. they would not resent the poor but would help them willingly instead.

In these verses, we see reasons why God’s people should be generous. Firstly, what they had were all given by the Lord. Secondly, God would bless them when they generously helped the poor. Thirdly, there would not be a time when no needy people would be among them. That alone necessitated the cultivation of a generous spirit. Fourthly, verse 9 suggests that hardening one’s heart towards the needy would become a sin when one could help but would not. 

God wants us to be compassionate people. We must not close our hearts, clench our fists, and shut our eyes toward the needy. In Galatians 6:10, we are urged to do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of the faith, while we have the opportunity. We also know that when we refresh others, we ourselves will be refreshed. Being generous reflects best our generous God. Let us cultivate a spirit of generosity, especially toward the needy among us! But this does not mean that we must be gullible and be taken in by every cry for help. We must be willing to help but be careful not to be taken in by people who want to take advantage of us. Be helpful but be prudent!