BY OLUROTIMI AJIBOWO
The Israelites got their first lesson on how they were supposed to live as a people of God immediately they crossed the Red Sea and got into the wilderness. This lesson was taught by God using the most basic of needs: food.
Faced with the spectre of hunger as they got into the wilderness, with no farmlands, neither any food in sight, their natural instinct got the better of them. Reacting by the same instinct, they forgot that they were now free men, saved through the most amazing miraculous experiences. As they looked hopelessly at themselves and the mass of other people that made it from Egypt, they took a swipe at Moses: “Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Ex 16:2-3 NKJV
God was not long in responding: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” Ex 16:4-5 NKJV
Manna came as the Lord promised but there were instructions: they were to take them according to their need: “And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'” Ex 16:15-18 NKJV
Their natural inclinations would not obey simple instructions. No matter what is done, insecurity and greed drive people to disobedience and sin; thus some took more than they needed such that others had less. Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. Ex 16:17 NKJV
Some form of measurement therefore had to be introduced. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. Ex 16:18 NKJV
What was the first lesson? God had provided enough to go round and the evidence came when the omers were applied. No one lacked. Was that the end of their greed? That was not to be. Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? Ex 16:27-28 NKJV
After some people had gathered double on the sixth day, their greed was still unsatisfied; they went out to see whether somehow, by any means, they would have an advantage over others!
The first lesson we draw from this experience is that God always has enough provision for peoples and nations; it is the greed, avarice and selfishness that leads to the gross inequalities. The second lesson is that anywhere there is dire need, especially of food and shelter, God has put resources in the hand of some people. It is proof that the sad situation we currently have in our IDP Camps can be ameliorated, if we put our minds to it.
The template of caring for each other in the wilderness and stamping out lack became the foundational pattern for life of the early New Testament Christians. With the indwelling Spirit, human beings began to do this selflessly, without legislation or overbearing arm.
The true story is told of a Japanese man who, while tearing down a wall as he was renovating his house, found a lizard stuck there because a nail from outside had been hammered into one of its feet. He was as surprised as he was curious, knowing that he had not done any carpentry nor nailing in the last five years when the house was built. What it meant was that the lizard had survived in that position for five years. “How could that be?”, he imagined.
To assuage his curiosity, he stopped work to find out what the lizard had been doing to stay alive. As he waited and watched, on came another lizard with food in its mouth. Then it connected: another lizard had been feeding it in the last five years! Five years, without giving up! Now if lizards that human beings hardly take any notice of can accomplish such a feat, how much more, us?
The import of the true story of the good Samaritan told by Jesus was to redefine our concept of neighbourliness.
Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” Luke 10:30-36 NKJV
When we really look at it, Jesus was saying that our neighbour is no longer that person that lives next door to us but anyone that in the grace of God, we are privileged to meet. By implication, anyone we are able to help anywhere in the world, becomes our neighbour. If however such interaction demands our assistance, the moral is for us to do the best we can.
What comes to our hearts when we see men and women, babies and children rendered homeless through no fault of theirs? How do we feel when such people are left to the elements because of a natural disaster or, as we have in Nigeria, due to the direct negligence and abandonment of a government that took an oath to defend and protect her citizens? For some, it is an occasion to empathise and move on. However, if we would have the mind of God, such situations are best seen as the greatest opportunities. And I’ll tell you why.
There is so much Jesus taught about giving but our theology in current times have gone upside down due to the fact that modern day churches focus over and above all on tithes and revenues accruing to them sometimes at the expense of rightly dividing the true word of God. What can be considered probably the most revealing teaching of Jesus about giving came forth in a direct teaching about God’s judgment.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand,’Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt 25:31-46 NKJV
Jesus’ teaching comprehensively speaks for itself so that only a few comments need be made. Firstly, Jesus here was not speaking in parables; He spoke of an actual event that would happen in future at His coming. It was a preview of the judgment He would pronounce and the actual words He would say. Of note is that kingdoms are prepared for people through the right knowledge and attitude in giving.
When Jesus tells us in another place that what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15 NKJV), the passage under consideration is a valid illustration. Is it not amazing that in the judgment that is to come, Jesus makes no reference to our common religious duties, working in Church, paying tithes, fancy clothes we wear to church to ‘impress’ Him (or others) and so on. If we look through the Scriptures, we will find God’s consistency on this matter and quite a number that show the special concern God has for the poor, the widows and orphans.
Lest we are diverted from the issue at hand, the major task at hand is therefore how to make ourselves approved of God at His coming. Even in this regard, we find the admonition of the Scriptures. As John the Baptist preached beyond Jordan, the people that came to his baptism asked what they were to do. He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Luke 3:11 NKJV
James makes this kind of service a major evidence of the faith we profess:
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 NKJV.
Confronted with the issue of persecution in the early Church, a lot of brethren in certain areas needed assistance. Writing to the Corinthians in his second letter, he acknowledged their understanding of this necessity.
Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 2 Cor 9:1-2 NKJV. It was as Paul wrote about this that he delved into the principle of sowing and reaping. “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor 9:6-7 NKJV.
In the Book of Acts, we are made familiar with their giving. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:32-35 NKJV.
Why were they such gracious givers? Jesus had taught: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-21 NKJV
The precarious situation of people called in any way by the name of the Lord in various IDP Camps has been documented in this edition. Their situation gives us opportunity to demonstrate brotherliness. How will it be done? Suppose every adult male not affected by this persecution donates even a shirt or trouser and every adult female a dress or traditional attire? Suppose every household could donate at least one or two children’s clothes? Certainly, there will be people who can do more.
Let us begin to take notice and prepare our hearts from now. In the meantime, we will work at contacting credible NGOs and other ministries involved in working with displaced people groups. Please help us also by introducing the ones you know. We will endeavour to confirm that whoever is presented is genuine and has a track record. May God bless us all as we take it to heart and prepare to give in Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.
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