Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Jesus. Matthew 5:42. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is Day 27 of 30 Days on the Mount of Blessing. Jesus is now talking about the guy next door who wants to borrow the snow shovel—or the neighbor down the road he asks for some cash. Jesus isn’t advocating mindless lending or giving—not advocating that everybody who asks must get what they ask for. He’s talking about big-picture stuff again, about our attitude. About living out of a willingness to give and lend. Here’s the deal: Jesus-followers know where everything they have comes from, and it’s not the grocery store, ATM, online merchant or vending machine. It’s God. Their entire orientation presupposes that God cares intimately for them, so they’re ok with common-sense generosity, feeling no need to vigilantly guard every last penny. What they have received from God, is meant for the benefit of others, not just for their own consumption.
