Samuel Ngewa: Instruments

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

“Since we have benefited so much from Christ’s act, we are expected to show the same kind of love for each other. John makes three points about this love.

1. It derives from Jesus Christ – Everyone can show some kind of love, but no one can exercise the love called for here without learning it from Christ. Normally we love others because of something good they have done for us or for good we see in them. Jesus’ love enables us to love others in spite of evil done to us and the unpleasantness of the one loved, even when the evil is not a single act but a way of life. Such love is only possible if one takes Christ as one’s model and asks Him for spiritual strength. Outside Christ it cannot exist.

2. It is practical – Jesus’ love led him to take on a physical body. We need to express love by sharing our material possessions. Our willingness to share indicates whether or not we have the love of God – which may mean either ‘God’s kind of love’ or ‘love for God’. If we have the ability to share with the needy but do not do so, we are lacking in both ways.

3. It is genuine – We are not to love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Words and actions are instruments that can be used to express love. But words on their own are not enough. The call to love ‘in truth’ indicates that our actions and our words must not simply be formalities or attempts to appear in a good light, but must reflect sincerely concern for the one loved.”

Samuel Ngewa in “1 John” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1559-1560.

Ngewa makes three good points today. Pause and reflect if any of them moved you to conviction.

His use of the word ‘instruments’ stood out to me. In other words, if we demonstrate a willingness to share with love and in truth, our lives literally become instruments. We make beautiful music.

Alternatively, when our words and actions don’t match, we are like a “clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1), that is, an instrument that makes a crash instead of offering a soothing sound.

God, help our lives, in both word and actions, reflect Your with love and in truth. By your Spirit, make us instruments that make great music alone and in harmony with others. Do this we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Acts 4:33-35

“So generous were the believers that there were no needy persons among among them. The use of the word ‘needy’ instead of ‘poor’ is interesting. Some of these believers may have been rich in their own right at home but they were needy now because they were separated from their property. There were no banks to transfer funds, and thus even if they had assets abroad, they were still in need of food once their own supplies had run out.”

Paul Mumo Kisau in “Acts of the Apostles” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1334.

Though this text on sharing is quite familiar to most Christians, Kisau brings up two fresh and interesting points.

Firstly, the use of the word ‘needy’ in contrast to ‘poor’ tells us that regardless of the socioeconomic status of the early church Christians, if one had resources and another had need, each one shared so that everyone had enough. This removed the distinction of rich and poor. Everyone had something to give.

Secondly, when the Spirit came upon the early church in Jerusalem, it comprised people from around the ancient world. They may have had resources to get there, but at some point, those would likely have been depleted. Not to worry. Their fellow believers locally cared for them.

This teaches us that when we attune to the needs of those around us and share, we reflect afresh the early church generosity.

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13

“The exhortations to share with the Lord’s people who are in need and to practice hospitality refer to material help. Those who ‘have’ must share with the ‘have nots’. Christian hospitality focuses on taking care of strangers and guests. Our homes, hearts, and pockets must be open to serve them.”

David M. Kasali in “Romans” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1396.

Three thoughts surface in Kasali’s comments today.

Firstly, our sharing must take material forms. People often like to limit their generosity to sharing time and talent but are less quick to part with treasure. The Lord wants us to share the material resources we have.

Secondly, He wants our sharing to flow from open homes, hearts, and pockets. Notice the distinctly Christian witness that comes into view. When we share materially from open homes, hearts, and pockets, people see Christian love in action.

Thirdly, lest you think the ‘have’ and ‘have not’ language sounds like socialism. If you struggle with it at all, remember this. Jesus voluntarily became poor so you could become rich. Do do likewise will cause your witness to reflect His sacrifice.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell. Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it. Proverbs 11:24-27

“Next we come to another cluster of proverbs, this time on the topic of generosity. 11:24 appears to be paradoxical – how can giving away wealth increase wealth? – but the paradox is resolved if we remember that the Lord is the source of wealth and the one administering justice (see Matthew 16:25, Luke 6:38). 11:25 is a synthetic proverb, developing further in the second line, the idea mentioned in the first line. What is being commended in these verses is sharing one’s resources with others. Hoarding and selfishness are condemned. 11:26 brings this into sharp focus: People curse the one who hoards grain, but blessing crowns the one who is willing to sell. The word ‘sell’ suggests that what is going on here is speculation at the expense of others. Hubbard says, ‘The saying assumes that normal business practices were being suspended for some devious purpose of the seller.’ While 11:27 does not specifically mention generosity, similar principles apply in this verse. As Kidner says, ‘What you seek for others, you will get yourself.'”

Tewoldemedhin Habtu in “Proverbs” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 790.

Many focus on the first two verses in this text. But when we read all four, a much bigger picture comes into view. We are urged to share and sell, while being instructed not to speculate for selfish gain. This means we must not do what is common modern business practice, namely, to hoard for greater gain, or in plain terms, to try to get higher prices.

God has an economy and it functions the opposite of the world’s economy. We only discover it if we live differently, if we live generously. Only when we do, do we become people who administer justice and receive blessing, not for motivated by personal prosperity, but rather the common good.

As Kidner keenly concluded, “What you seek for others, you will get for yourself.” Make that your goal today, tomorrow, and the next day, and see what happens. It will either cause greed to destroy you or it will lead you to greater levels of generosity that you can only figure out as you live it out. That’s biblical wisdom right there!

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:11-16

“Rather than animal sacrifices, they now need to offer to God a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Such praise is the natural fruit of lips that honour Him. The only other sacrifice that is called for is to do good and to share with others. God now rejects all the ritual sacrifices, as this letter has shown, but sacrifices of praise and service still please Him.”

Tesfaye Kassa in “Hebrews” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1533.

As I reflect on the sacrifices that God desires of us, I find they bring to mind the Greatest Commandment, that is, to love God and to love our neighbor. We show love of God through praise and thanksgiving and love of neighbor through doing good and sharing.

But what does it mean to offer a sacrifice of praise? Thankfully the author of Hebrews explains that by saying “the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.” It means that we repeatedly testify to the greatness of our God to a watching world.

And why are they watching? When we share generously, our witness is otherworldly to onlookers. And the exhortation here is to continually testify to God’s goodness and not to forget to do good. That makes sense when you think about it.

If times are good, we could be tempted to take pride in our place and stop praising God. Additionally, we might become selfish thinking we deserve to keep the material blessings we receive and forget to do good and share with others.

I had lunch with a friend yesterday, Micah. The food was good but the fellowship even better. We talked about God’s goodness to us, about family, work, and even exercises to help our aging bodies. And we reminded each other to do good and share as God blesses us.

Father in heaven, be glorified as we offer continual sacrifices of praise for your goodness to us. Remind us by your Spirit to do good and to share with others so we reflect your love to the world. Hear our prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:28

“Stealing involves taking away from others to benefit oneself. That is why Paul condemns it and calls for gainful labour that shares with others, rather than cheating them.”

Yusufu Turaki in “Ephesians” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1461.

Warning Label: This post reflects Christian thinking that is contrary to American thought and most worldly notions. It is brought forth by a thoughtful African. Let me explain the implications of this powerful idea.

If a person works and makes a paycheck, most people say that the worker owns that money. But, because we believe that God owns everything, that person is only a steward of that money as God gave that person the ability to produce that wealth.

So, from a biblical perspective, to work and keep for ourselves what God intends for enjoyment and sharing is stealing or cheating others. Most Americans (and other cultures) would push back. But remember, we are only stewards. And we must not steal or cheat.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. Matthew 25:35

“The New Testament values hospitality highly. Jesus was both a host who received strangers and a guest who received hospitality. He welcomed all at His table: feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and receiving social outcasts such as tax collectors and prostitutes. He instructed His disciples to give a blessing wherever they were received to show that He built hospitality into His mission.”

Emily J. Choge in “Hospitality in Africa” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 390.

I don’t know about the culture where you grew up, but a common statement to children in America went like this: Don’t talk to strangers. Society deemed this appropriate behavior.

The more I look at biblical teaching from an African perspective, the more I find that Jesus not only talked to strangers, He “built hospitality” toward them into His mission.

They were not peripheral, but central, perhaps to show that God’s love and grace could abound to everyone. He welcomed all to His table and invites us to go and do likewise.

Here’s a challenge for you. Learn someone’s name today. They just might go from a stranger to an acquaintance and even someday become a friend. Jesus wants them in His family, and so should we.

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34

“In Africa and in the Bible, hospitality is about welcoming strangers and not just friends. In fact, in the New Testament, the Greek word for someone who practices hospitality means ‘lover of strangers’. Interestingly, in most African languages the same word is used for both ‘stranger’ and ‘guest’.

Hospitality is rooted so deeply in African societies that meals are not prepared for the exact number of people in the household, for there is the possibility that someone may drop in to share the meal. It goes without saying that when strangers come into the house they must be offered something, even if it is only a cup of water.

In the Old Testament those who show hospitality to strangers are rewarded, while those who do harm to them are liable to judgment. Positive examples of the practice of hospitality include Abraham welcoming the strangers by the oaks of Mamre (Genesis 18:1-5), Lot welcoming the strangers before the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19), Rebecca (Genesis 24), the daughter of Jethro (Exodus 2:16-20), and Abigail (1 Samuel 25).

Those who withheld hospitality include the men of Sodom who wanted to assault Lot’s guests (Genesis 19), the men of Gibeah (Judges 19), the Ammonites and the Moabites who failed to show hospitality to Israel on their way from Egypt (Deuteronomy 23:3-6) and Nabal (1 Samuel 25).”

Emily J. Choge in “Hospitality in Africa” in <em>Africa Bible Commentary</em> (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 390.

Three insights that shape our generosity emerge from today’s post.

Firstly, hospitality is God’s expectation of His people. When He punctuates the command to treat strangers as family with “I am the Lord your God!” it implies that Hospitality is not optional. We use the words ‘stranger’ and ‘guest’ as synonymous.

Secondly, hospitality requires God’s people to create margin for others. While cooking, that means we as His people cook extra. While the Africans may do this as a general practice. Christians everywhere would do well to follow suit.

Thirdly, hospitality comes with reward, and the lack of hospitality comes with judgment. The biblical examples illustrate for us that God watches what His people do when given the opportunity to show hospitality. Likewise today, He is watching us.

How might you treat strangers as guests and create margin to treat them like family?

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.” 1 Samuel 25:10-17

“Nabal’s response reveals much about the man. Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? was not a request for information but a disdainful dismissal. It was like asking, ‘Why should I give him any food?’ But the problem went deeper than that. There was no need for Nabal to know who  someone was or where they came from when someone asked for food at harvest time. The law of Moses insisted that some of the crop should be set aside for strangers, the poor and widows (Deuteronomy 15:7-11; 24:19-22; Proverbs 19:17).

At harvest time, anyone passing through the land of Israel should be given food. By refusing David’s request, Nabal was showing that he did not obey God’s laws… Nabal’s self-centeredness is clearly evident in the string of ‘I’s and ‘my’s that follow: Why should I take my bread and water and the meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers? He claimed total ownership of all that God had graciously blessed him with and did not acknowledge that it was a gift from God. He was like the rich fool of Luke 12:16-21.”

Nupanga Weanzana in “1 Samuel” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 368-369.

Imagine how beautiful we as God’s people would look if we shared freely as God has instructed us. Instead, often onlookers say that our response reveals our self-centeredness, or in plain terms, that we as Christians are no different from the world. Many of us might go to church or profess Christian faith, but if we don’t live in obedience, we resemble Nabal the fool.

What does your response reveal when invited to support God’s people with what He has so generously supplied to you? Do you give generously at every turn know that God in Christ has been unthinkably generous to you? Do you give a little in gratitude but hold back most of what you have because you think it is your job to look after yourself?

Pause to think about the ways God has been good to you. Look at your holdings. Inventory all God has supplied. Take time to give thanks. What if you claimed God’s total ownership over all that? How would it impact your stewardship decisions? Don’t let your story end like Nabal’s did. Pray about a neighbor to help. Give to your church. Support GTP on a global scale.

A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.

While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

“‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’”

When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited. 1 Samuel 25:2-9

“Maon lay close to Hebron in the part of the promised land that had been given to Caleb. In this area, there lived a very wealthy man named Nabal, which means ‘Fool’ (25:2). His name seems to have fitted him. Nabal was called a fool daily by his parents and colleagues, and even his wife said, ‘He is just like his name – his name is Fool and folly goes with him.’

Nabal was a descendant of Caleb, a man who had wholeheartedly followed the Lord. But Nabal was nothing like his ancestor. He was rich in cattle and goats, but not in grace and faith (25:2-3).By contrast, his wife, Abigail was an intelligent and beautiful woman…

News reached David that Nabal was shearing his sheep (25:4). David had been a shepherd, and he knew that this would be a time of feasting and celebration at which Nabal would be expected to share food with his neighbours. So he sent ten of his men to go and greet Nabal in David’s name (25:5-6)….

The young men were then instructed to remind Nabal of the services David and his men had provided for his shepherds. The shepherds could confirm that David and his men had not raided their flocks or harassed them in any way. Moreover, they had protected them from attack by others, so that nothing of theirs was missing (25:7-8).

Given the size of his band, David could simply have helped himself to what he wanted, but he had not. However, he was not too proud to ask Nabal for a gift of good for his men. He did not specify how large this gift should be, but left that to Nabal’s sense of goodwill.”

Nupanga Weanzana in “1 Samuel” in <em>Africa Bible Commentary</em> (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 368-369.

As I continue my exploration of sharing through the Scriptures from an African perspective, I see something I had not located before. I did not realize how the story of Nabal foreshadows the rich fool in Luke 12:16-21.

His name means fool. He is wealthy and fails to share when given the opportunity. Shortly after he fails to distribute his abundance and throws a party instead of sharing, he is struck down dead by the Lord.

What’s the lesson for us who want to grow in generosity? If God blesses us with abundance, keeping it for ourselves and not sharing it with our neighbors is not only foolish, it may have fatal consequences.

We can think of many examples of rich people whose material wealth actually became the determining factor for their destruction. Don’t let it be you. Enjoy and share God’s blessings, especially with God’s servants.