Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
“So instead of lands, buy afflicted souls, each one according to their ability. Visit widows and orphans, and do not overlook them. Spend your wealth and all your possessions which you received from the Lord on such ‘lands’ and ‘houses’ as these, for the Master made you rich so that you might perform these services to Him. It is much better to purchase these kinds of ‘lands’, ‘possessions’ and ‘houses’, as you will find out in your own City when you go live there. This is a noble and sacred purchase which no sorrow or fear accompanies, only joy. Do not invest in the things that unbelievers do, because it is detrimental to you who are the servants of God. Instead, practice your own kind of purchasing that you can rejoice in. Do not corrupt or touch what is someone else’s; do not covet it, because it is an evil thing to covet what belongs to other men. Focus on your own tasks and you will be saved.”
Shepherd of Hermas (c. late first or early to mid-second century) in “The First Parable” of the Shepherd of Hermas: Updated to Modern Language by Daniel Robinson (North Charleston: CreateSpace, 2013) 38.
I just sent a faithful meditations reader (who is a new friend of mine) a copy of this classic work as a belated birthday present. I posted the first sentence as a meditation way back on on 23 October 2010, and decided to include a larger selection today. It’s a good example of early church literature that relates to generosity.
Many people were destroyed by detrimental decisions back then. Sadly, the problem persists today when we live for and set our affections on this earthly realm and not the eternal kingdom. How can we be saved or delivered from the covetous thinking around us? What services has God placed us here to perform? The shepherd of pastor says: Pour money into souls in distress according to your ability.
Why send this book to my friend? He has an aim, a lifetime goal, of storing up $100,000,000 in the “City” where he will spend eternity. To what does he give? He feels led by God to aid afflicted souls. I affirmed his objective and offered to do whatever I can to hold his arms up. Help him to that end, Lord Jesus!