The Lord said to Moses, “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. Divide the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. Numbers 31:25-27
“The principle of sharing the spoils of war seems to have been observed at later times in Israel (Joshua 22:8; 1 Samuel 30:24-25; Psalm 68:12). The sharing of benefits is part of the New Testament story too. The early Christians shared all their possessions for the common good (Acts 2:44-45).
Sharing is a biblical virtue that all Christians must practice for the common good. Although Christian churches live in a world characterized by individualism and selfishness, Christians have not forgotten this duty. Some of the largest charity organizations in the world are operated by churches or church related organizations. In this way, Christians share the gifts God has given them.
The principle of sharing with non-combatants is also important. We need to remember that those who work for the Lord include not only those who go but also those who stay at home and pray and support the work in other ways.”
Anastasia Bonface-Malle in “Numbers” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 205.
As I continue to explore the African perspective on sharing I came across this interesting exposition of how God’s people were instructed regarding sharing the spoils.
The modern day parallel is what really struck me, as we don’t think about war and spoils as part of our Christian journey. Those at home benefited along with those who served.
That’s relevant! As we think about encouraging Christian generosity, we must remind “those who serve” that “those at home” should also share the spoils.
This means that the focus of God’s workers must not merely be to encourage support from stewards at home but also to communicate the fruits of the efforts so everyone can share the joy.
And, for the second day, the word “community” appears in the post. Good news. I got the final draft of a 30 day devotional I co-authored with Travis Shelton entitled “Community.”
It will release in mid-September. Stay tuned. In the meantime, communicate the fruits of faithful work so that God’s workers and those at home can share the spoils!