Dear Ones,
Hope you have a great weekend and time to regroup and get refreshed. I plan to clean the apartment and do some cooking and writing today and get in another beautiful walk.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Haven’t we in our heart of hearts wanted to make a difference in our world and know that we are letting our light shine. One way is respecting and showing love to each person as one of God’s creation and another important way is to help the poor. Jesus talked often about the poor. and even back in Moses time, the law legally obligated people to give to the poor. It was assumed that all we have belongs to the Lord. I am reading in the Old Testament lately about the many laws that helped the poor like landowners who were not to reap the corners of their own fields but let the poor reap on the edges. Or every 7th year debts were canceled and slaves set free etc.

 We may all feel we are generous people for we give away some of tour surplus to the poor because they need it but as I was reading it is also important for our own hearts. Ronald Rolheiser says we cannot be healthy unless we give freely, for if we hoard wealth, we are the ones that get corrupted. He writes that any gift we don’t share turns sour and often we get bitter. God’s blessings are meant ot flow through us to others and not stop with us. We are also going to judged one day on what we do for the poor. Jesus will ask us if we fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty and clothed the naked. (Matt. 25:41-46) Generosity should be a trademark of each Christian whether it be physical gifts or generosity of our time etc. There are so many Christian organizations that we can give to also, that will dig wells, daily feed the hungry, help and supply needed items after hurricanes etc.
We are meant to enter into the struggles of the poor if we want to be spiritually healthy. The Lord also gives special consideration for the vulnerable like the widows and orphans and strangers. Rolheiser says that how we treat the poor is how we treat God. If we have great wealth, it is not bad in itself, but the question is how we use it and how it affects our hearts. When we give away our hearts are open, but if we are stingy, we will find our hearts closed. Let us remember that all that we have is really a trust from God. Can He trust us with His riches?

Challenge for today As the Lord to show you specific needs of others and be open to what He would have you give.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy