“God created the earth, the beauty of the heavens, the well ordered change of hours, the sun’s heat and the cold (He does not need these things), and works continuously for man’s well being as an invisible provider, a timely sower and a wonderful irrigator…
[God] bountifully provides food for man by nourishing the vine and giving drink in due season to all types of animals. He also provides woolen skins for protection and covering our feet. You can see that God is the Creator of these benefits by giving nourishment and drink to the hungry and by clothing the naked as we have already said…God is thus the source of generosity and rich provider for our necessities.Scripture teaches us to zealously imitate the Lord and Creator insofar as mortal beings can emulate his blessedness and immortality. However, we show contempt towards everything by appropriating them for our own enjoyment; we choose them for our own end and selfishly store them up.
We have no concern for the misfortunate nor care for the poor. What a miserable attitude! A man sees someone else without food and lacks incentive for giving him nourishment. Such a person does not provide for others nor is he concerned about his security; rather, he allows this tender plant to pitifully dry up from lack of water. Instead, he is well off and does not give it the needy…
Let each of us take pains to our assist neighbor…”
Gregory of Nyssa (335-394) from his treatise On Almsgiving.