Open heart... open hand

Today, my heart is touched by the simple words of lending a hand.
If there is among you a poor man...
which the Lord your God is giving you,
you shall not harden your heart
nor shut your hand...
Deuteronomy 15:7-8

How interesting, the way this verse is written.
That there would be someone poor,
that God is... giving us.
Not that that the poor person is in our way,
nor bothering us,
nor trying to make us feel guilty by asking, or begging.

But this is something, or rather someone, FROM God...
an opportunity, or rather... a gift.
Is that a stretch for me to call it that?
It's truly just what came to me.... for if God is giving it,
isn't that a gift from God?

So, this poor person... my GIFT from God,
is now given to me.
Whether it be someone I know, or not.
God has now given an instruction for me not to harden my heart,
nor shut my hand to them.

Well, if I want to apply this to my life,
let's start with a pretty story... or an easy GIFT,
there is a needy person at church that your pastor mentions in a sermon.
Well, yes... that's easy, I'll give.

But what if the story, or the GIFT, is not so pretty, and now...
it's the homeless man standing in front of the convenience store
who begs some change, or a few bucks from me?
Do I always feel as compelled?
Am I always as compassionate and open handed?

I'll admit it...
I have never before seen this man as a GIFT from God.
And sometimes I do my best to not make eye contact...
but to politely say, "No," or that I don't have any change.

But now I read on...
You shall surely give to him,
and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him...
That doesn't sound like God is giving me an option.
Whether my heart is hard,
or my hand is closed,
God still says GIVE...
as if He's gonna deal with my attitude later!
So honestly, it's not hard to hand out a few dollars here or there.

But what if the story, or the GIFT, becomes more personal...
now it's a family member that I only hear from every once in a while...
when they need money, some sort of favor,
or worse yet... my time.
Because now the GIFT goes way deeper.
Feelings from my past dredge up stoney, buried pieces of my heart.
And my hands aren't closed... they are clenched; balled up in fists at my side.

And God speaks...
You shall surely give to him,
and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him...
because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you
in all your works and
in all to which you put your hand.
Deuteronomy 15:10 NKJV

His command has not changed.
No matter the person,
​friendly stranger, homeless wanderer, or long lost family...
God has given what He calls a GIFT.
And He would rather I set the attitude aside, altogether.
He would prefer that I understand His kingdom a little better.
For it's not that He can't help this person Himself.
God can do anything He wants... anyway, anytime.
HE IS GOD!

But somehow, in this, what He wants... is to GIVE me a GIFT.
He is trying to GIVE me a chance to see the bigger perspective.
He is inviting me be part of His kingdom by sharing His love,
by asking me to open my heart, and to open my hand.

Please understand...
I am working this out, as I am writing.
I'm sorry to admit,
that I struggle with my heart attitude
when faced with challenges... mostly to my time.

And God goes on to say...
For the poor will never cease from the land...

This is not the last of the handouts I will be asked to give.
So I might as well get used to giving.
Not just money...
God will want me to give of my time,
my talent,
my words,
my influence,
my joy,
my strength,
my energy,
my everything...
And I might as well get my heart right in knowing...
that none of what I have is truly mine from the start anyway!

And it strikes me...
a much bigger picture.
When God is asking me to open my hand,
to soften my heart,
to give something undeserved to a poor man,
and he is a GIFT that God gave me...
who can do nothing for himself.

It is because,
God already asked someone else...
to open His hand,
to soften His heart,
to give something undeserved to this poor girl,
and I was the GIFT that God gave to Jesus...
when I could do nothing for myself.

God knew me when I was poor and undeserving,
when I was begging for help.

Jesus could have walked by
without making eye contact, telling me He had no spare change...
but instead, He gave His everything...
Not just for me, but for all of us.

And all He asks is that we open our hearts,
and open our hands,
to pass on what He has given to us.
Without HIM, we have NOTHING.

He gives us the GIFT of sharing.
And when we do, God opens His hand and softens His heart,
to bless is...
in all our works and 
in all that we put our hands.

Word of God... train me, today...
to ever keep an open heart,
to always remember an open hand.

Lord, let me not forget
all that You have done
for the undeserving poor heart in me.

Remind me that these people are GIFTs
and let me not ever walk past
thinking that I have nothing to give.
Open my heart,
open my hand,
and use me to love others well.