Thomas Aquinas: Pay back something more

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36

“Gratitude regards the favor received according the intention of the benefactor; who seems be deserving of praise, chiefly for having conferred the favor gratis without being bound to do so. Wherefore the beneficiary is under a moral obligation to bestow something gratis in return. Now he does not seem to bestow something gratis, unless he exceeds the quantity of the favor received: because so long as he repays less or an equivalent, he would seem to do nothing gratis, but only to return what he has received. Therefore gratitude always inclines, as far as possible, to pay back something more.”

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) in Summa Theologica in Question 106 on “Gratitude” in the Second Part of the Second Part.

Thanks to all who celebrated 5,000 posts with me yesterday! All glory to God!

Today, I turn our attention back to an exploration of gratitude in the thinking of the doctors of the church. I do this to stir our hearts toward greater giving, fasting, and prayer during Lent.

Prior to my travels to Africa we heard from Ambrose of Milan, Jerome of Stridon, Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius of Alexandria.

Two days ago we moved to Bernard of Clairvaux and today we read from Thomas Aquinas.

He reminds us that gratitude regards the benefits we receive from God. Most never even go there. But if we pause there, we find that many people don’t exhibit a lot of gratitude because they don’t stop and consider all their blessings in Christ.

When we count our blessings, it motivates us to extend unmerited favor toward others. We become, as Luke writes, “children of the Most High,” because we go further than repay people for their kindness, we lavish favors on the undeserving.

If we want our generosity to be distinctly Christian in nature, we need to love our enemies and do good to them. We need to lend to others without expecting anything in return. And we must be kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Our generosity should look crazy in earthly terms to look consistent with the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why?

Because, in the words of Aquinas, “gratitude always inclines, as far as possible, to pay back something more.” Let’s do this because Christ paid for us a debt we could never repay and always refreshes us when we give.

Today marks Daily Mediation number 5,000 in a row, or nearly 14 years. For this reason I turn to the Feeding of the 5,000 and my favorite Scottish scholar (as I have Scottish roots), William Barclay.

When it grew late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But He answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And He said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then He ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and He divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. Mark 6:35-44

“It is a notable fact that no miracle seems to have made such an impression on the disciples as this, because this is the only miracle of Jesus which is related in all four Gospels. We have already seen how Mark’s Gospel really embodies the preaching material of Peter. To read this story, so simply and yet so dramatically told, is to read something that reads exactly like an eyewitness account. Let us note some of the vivid and realistic details.

They sat down on the green grass. It is as fit Peter was seeing the whole thing in his mind’s eye again. It so happens that this little descriptive phrase provides us with quite a lot of information. The only time when the grass would be green would be in the late springtime, in mid-April. So it is then that this miracle must have taken place. At that time the sun set at 6 p.m., so this must have happened sometime in the late afternoon.

Mark tells us that they sat down in sections[or groups] of hundred and of fifty. The word used for sections is a very pictorial word. It is the normal Greek word for the rows of vegetables in a vegetable garden. When you looked at the little groups, as they sat there in their orderly rows, they looked for all the world the rows of vegetables in a series of garden plots…

The wonderful thing about this story is that all through it runs implicit contrast between the attitude of Jesus and the attitude of the disciples. (1) It shows us two reactions to human need. When the disciples saw how late it was, and how tired and hungry the crowd was, they said, “Send them away so that they can find something to eat.”

In effect they said, “These people are tired and hungry. Get rid of them and let someone else worry about them.” Jesus said, ” You give them something to eat.” In effect Jesus said, “These people are tired and hungry. We must do something about it.” There are always the people who are quite aware that others are in difficulty and trouble, but who wish to push the responsibility for doing something about it on someone else…

(2) It shows us two reactions to human resources… In effect, the disciples were saying, “We could not earn enough in more than six months’ work to give this crowd a meal. They really meant, “Anything we have got is no use at all.” Jesus said, “What have you got?” They had five loaves. These were not English loaves: they were more like rolls… It did not seem much.

But Jesus took it and worked wonders with it. In the hands of Jesus little is aways much. We may think that we have little talent or substance to give to Jesus. That is no reason for a hopeless pessimism such as the disciples had. The one fatal thing to say is, “For all I could do, it is not worth my while trying to do anything.” If we put ourselves into the hands of Jesus Christ, there’s no telling what He can do with us and through us.”

William Barclay in The Gospel of Mark (TDSBS; Philadelphia; Westminster Press, 1975) 157-159.

For 5,000 days, God has not disappointed me.

I have explored what saints and scholars through the centuries have said about generosity. It’s been an indescribably rich journey. And many of you have been with me for many of those days. Thank you. I pray you have been blessed.

My rhythm has been to study and write them in real-time, so they post less 24 hours after writing each one.

Today I looked to Barclay. He shined yet again. He reminds us that we must have mindset change in how we view both human need and resources. We must see needs with compassion, and give God what we have and watch Him work.

Too often we see needs as someone else’s responsibility, and we don’t try meeting them because we focus on what we don’t have. We think we don’t have enough so we don’t even try.

Jesus profoundly teaches us that when we give God what we have, there’s “no telling what He can do with us and through us.” I never dreamed that in giving Him an hour a day, I’d write 5,000 meditations.

But this is not about me. It’s about a generous God who loves us so much that He wants us to have eyes of compassion and hands willing to share what we have so He can do miracles in our midst.

To get a glimpse of how the mindset change called for in this biblical text is transforming churches across Malawi through the work of GTP, take seven minutes to watch the “Palmful of Maize” video.

And pause and pray that God will sustain us for another 5,000 days to live, give, serve, and love like Jesus. There’s “no telling what He can do with us and through us” when we give God what we have.

“In the hands of Jesus little is aways much.”

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

“God deserves love from man in recognition of His gifts, both material and spiritual: and these gifts should be cherished without neglect of the Giver. Those who admit the truth of what I have said know, I am sure, why we are bound to love God. But if unbelievers will not grant it, their ingratitude is at once confounded by His innumerable benefits, lavished on our race, and plainly discerned by the senses. Who is it that gives food to all flesh, light to every eye, air to all that breathe? It would be foolish to begin a catalogue, since I have just called them innumerable: but I name, as notable instances, food, sunlight and air; not because they are God’s best gifts, but because they are essential to bodily life.”

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) in his classic work, On Loving God, 4.

I’ve returned safely home. Thanks for your prayers as I recover from the rigors of travel and work from home this week. I am reflecting on God’s blessings with thanksgiving so I’ve also returned to ‘gratitude’ which is my word for the year.

Today we actually learn about ingratitude. Let’s ponder it a moment with Bernard. God gives innumerable gifts, including the essentials that everyone needs to live. All He asks for in reply is our hearts, our love, our allegiance.

Sadly, many of us neglect Him. We do this. We act as if we supply the essentials for our lives and live as though we forget that the innumerable benefits around us came directly from His hand.

So, what’s the point today? We can’t live generously if we think we supply our needs. Instead, let’s pause, thank God for a few of His innumerable benefits and consider His matchless love and care for our each and every need.

If we take a posture of gratitude for everything that comes to mind, it changes us. In response let us resolve to enjoy and share whatever material and spiritual gifts God has lavished on us. And do this regardless of what anyone else around us is doing.

They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Acts 14:21-22

“The first missionary journey was a success because the Lord was the mission director. He directed the missionaries and opened the hearts of those who were being evangelized. Without God’s power, our mission in the world is ineffective. The other lesson to be learned from this mission is that the work of the gospel involves both joy and suffering. In other words, we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Paul Mumo Kisau (Kenya) in “Acts” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1352.

Why does a generous God allow us to experience both joy and suffering in our service to Him? 

Here’s some thoughts from my experience of two weeks in West Africa. Not only is the Holy Spirit the power of ministry, working in hearts and transforming lives. As pretty much nothing went as we expected, we saw vividly that we were not in control. So, the gift of joy and suffering in service to God humbles us and helps us see who we are and more clearly who God is. He’s the Mission Director.

And the Mission Director led us to four West African countries. We served and returned rejoicing with fruits because He is faithful.

Where is He directing you? What would it look like to trust in His power and not your own? Are you ready to endure hardships?  These are real questions we must ask ourselves. If we follow God’s leading, we experience His generous provision and protection, which will not so much save us from storms but through them. And we discover His presence often best in the storms as He’s with us.

From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. Acts 14:26-28

“From Attalia, the missionaries returned to their home church (to use modern missionary terminology) at Syrian Antioch. This church had commissioned them and thus they were accountable to it. Thus the missionaries gave their report to the whole church at Antioch, not just to the leaders.

The missionaries reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door for ministry. The mission had been the work of God, since He was the one who had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Now they were in no hurry to leave again, for they were anxious to enjoy fellowship with the disciples.”

Paul Mumo Kisau (Kenya) in “Acts” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1352.

There nothing better than completing a missionary journey and coming home to enjoy fellowship.

Most people think of God’s generosity as provision. Another way I have experienced it recently is protection. And sometimes it is the ability to enjoy fellowship.

Paul and Barnabas were excited to go home. That’s me today. Traveling from Dakar to Brussels to Newark to Denver.

And I love that they “reported all that God had done” with accountability. At GTP we always do trip reports to recount all God does. This gives God glory and maintains the momentum of the movement of God.

If you want a copy of my trip reports from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal reply and I will share them.

Excited to make it home just before midnight tonight. Appreciate your prayers.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. Acts 13:2-5

“Throughout Acts, Luke stresses that the Holy Spirit controls mission work from start to finish. Since the Holy Spirit had initiated mission work, the Holy Spirit was also the one to formally send out Barnabas and Saul as missionaries. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit as they went out into the unknown as witnesses of the Lord. Their first stop was at Cyprus, the Mediterranean island from which Barnabas came.”

Paul Mumo Kisau (Kenya) in “Acts” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 1349.

Our hotel is primitive but thankfully it is away from the turmoil in downtown Dakar. Enjoy the view today. I saw it the first time yesterday because our schedule has been nonstop since arriving here. It was a peaceful fasting and prayer day.

The first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas had four stops: Paphos (on Cyprus), Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. The Spirit led the work which started in the place Barnabas called home. The full journey which is recorded in Acts 13-14.

Why recount it? I start my travel home today from West Africa having experienced a strikingly similar adventure. Samson Adoungbe and I have witnessed God’s power, faced great danger and difficulty, and report unimaginable victory.

But, like the first journey that Paul and Barnabas took to the unknown, pretty much nothing has gone as we expected. Yet. God has worked in ways beyond what we could have ever imagined similar to the journey of Paul and Barnabas. Let me share five similarities.

Firstly, the Spirit led Samson (like Barnabas) to say we must visit these four countries: Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal. Paul and Barnabas also made four stops starting with the island Barnabas called home. We started our journey in Benin where Samson lives.

Secondly, the Spirit led them to work with John as a local helper. In each country, Samson and I worked with a GTP Country Coordinator, who opened doors on the front end and will maintain momentum on the back end.

Thirdly, on this journey, when Paul and Barnabas were in Pisidian Antioch in the synagogue, we see Paul invited to speak as a visitor. This was the invitation rolled out to us. We spoke on “Stewardship and Standards” in each country.

Fourthly, their focus aimed not at controlling results but at doing faithful activities. At GTP we map aims for a trip and then focus on pursuing those with faithful diligent work. We leave the results up to God.

Fifthly, and lastly, the result of their ministry was the strengthening of the churches. That’s what this trip has been all about for us at GTP. Planting seeds to someday see accredited churches in Francophone Africa.

I believe generosity sometimes is following the Spirit to the great unknown, to hard places, not to produce results but to plant seeds and to communicate truth with love and trust God to make it fruitful.

If you want to read our trip reports, reply here and I will send them to you.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

“The people of God are repeatedly urged not to be afraid. This insistence is important. God knows that we are naturally fearful. It is a defense mechanism when we are faced with danger or an adversary who seems stronger than we are. We need to learn to trust in God’s help. He will transform situations, so that those that tried to make us feel ashamed will themselves be ashamed.”

Edouard Kitoko Nsiku (Democratic Republic of Congo) in “Isaiah” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 864.

Yesterday was unforgettable. It felt like 13 Hours in Benghazi.

Except for one big difference. We did not fire a shot. We felt God fight for us. We experienced the deliverance of the Lord thanks to the hard working police of Senegal. Let me explain.

GTP hosted an all day Stations of Generosity training at Temple of Nations in downtown Dakar. Unfortunately, we were blocks from the epicenter of a protest that turned violent.

Despite the threat of danger we determined to meet. We heard protesters making noise. Anything left in the streets was burned. I shot this header photo from our training room.

Notice smoke rising up from the corner by the church compound. It got more intense. We heard two loud explosions nearby. After the first explosion nearby, we stopped to pray.

After the second one, which shook our building and caused our group to jump to look out the window, I will never forget what I saw.

In an instant, faster than I could pull out my phone to video it, I saw a flow of police and their vehicles go from right to left on the road below. God used them to protect the advances of any protestors. He turned our situation from panic to peace.

We prayed and continued on. Our prayers included Samson who had gone out to get lunch for the group. He was stopped by the police for taking pictures from his vehicle. Note to self, in such situations save the memories in your mind, not your phone.

By God’s grace after learning Samson was from Benin they let him go only after giving him a warning and forcing him to delete any photos from his phone. He was shaken up but not mistreated.

He knew he had to get back to our meeting. We welcomed him with cheers when he returned with lunch. We were glad he was well and lunch was late. God provided just what we needed: help.

The day ended remarkably well. The police cleared the streets of debris and we drove safely to our hotel. There were very few cars on the road but much debris like a war zone.

Sometimes God’s generosity takes the form of help from his righteous right hand. I give thanks for that today. If you are in difficult or dangerous situation, don’t panic. Call out to God. He’s hears and helps.

Today back in USA, a foundation is considering a major grant to GTP. Pray with me for favor for that grant for empowering national workers to build trust and grow local giving to God’s work.

God, please help with this matter and any other readers face today.

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. 2 Kings 2:11-14

“As a mark of mourning Elisha tore his clothes. He then picked up Elijah’s cloak to strike the water of the River Jordan. His next words, Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah, suggest that at first nothing happened.

His question reveals his recognition that the power to stop the river flowing was not embedded in any magic in the cloak but came from God, who granted him a double portionof Elijah’s spirit. When Elisha realized this, God showed His presence and the River Jordan divided, as it had in the days of Joshua.

We hear nothing of Elijah’s cloak. Pastors must never forget that there is no magic in following a ritual or some order of worship. Our faith must not depend on ritual but on the living God who provides the ritual as a means of grace.”

Musa Gotom (Nigeria) in “2 Kings” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 444.

I’m in West Africa and each country has been a different experience.

We’ve had many highs and lows. The temptation is the think that the ministry work we do is magic. That if we say things the same way, God will cause the same generous stewardship to blossom. Or that people will respond passionately to follow ministry standards for growing sustainability that honors God.

We may not admit this be we often act like this is what we believe.

For a real-time example, today Samson and I will facilitate Stations of Generosity for about 50 people in Dakar, Senegal. We’ve facilitated it three times in the last 10 days. What will the response be? I have no idea. I pray it’s enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive.

But today’s reading reminds me that this training is not magic but a means of grace.

So, wherever you serve and related to whatever you do, think of your service to God through your work not as magic but as a means of grace. Do this because God may not respond as you think or in the timing you expect. Our job is not to produce results but with the prophets to proclaim truth and trust God.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 2 Kings 2:9-11

“Finally, Elijah himself spoke of what was about to happen. Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken up from you? The man of God had no material property to be inherited, but Elisha could have requested a special prayer for himself or the nation of Israel, with the prophet laying hands on him to confer some final blessing.

But what Elisha asked for was a double portion of your spirit. He may have been asking that the would become twice as great as Elijah, or that the spirit that would rest on him would be two times greater in power or quantity than it had been for Elijah.

But it is also possible that he was simply requesting that the spirit at work in Elijah’s life and generation would continue in his own life another generation, so that the two generations would be blessed. This last interpretation may be supported by the fact that some of the works of Elisha seem to repeat that of Elisha.

This was a gift that Elijah could not give, because it was dependent on God. Yet he could say that this request would be granted if Elisha could see him while he was taken up.”

Musa Gotom (Nigeria) in “2 Kings” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 444.

I had always thought of Elisha’s double portion as twice as much. I appreciate this scholar’s perspective that he may simply have been a continuation of the ministry of Elijah.

It’s remarkable how the miracles performed in His ministry mirror the ones of Elisha.

Also noteworthy is Elijah’s response to this request. He does not promise something only God can deliver on. But He positions God to allow it, should He choose to do so.

This brings up an important point. We must not promise anything only God can deliver.

All to often people say that certain things are God’s will. It’s dangerous territory to make such claims. Elijah merely positions God to decide the matter.

When Elisha, in fact, sees Elijah go, we have confident that the Spirit will be conferred to him.

Related to our own generosity, we must give gifts that we can give. Gifts that are within our strength and capacity. And we must not promise gifts we cannot give.

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. 2 Kings 2:1-6

“As Elijah and his successor Elisha set out on their final journey together, Elijah makes three attempts at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho to persuade Elisha to leave him. In the past he had left another servant at Beersheba when he hoped to die. But Elisha refused to leave him, each time swearing an oath to to that effect.

Three attempts were enough, and Elijah did not try to stop Elisha from accompanying him again. The companies of prophets whom they met as they journeyed warned Elisha of what was coming, but he already knew it. He was a faithful servant to his master and stayed with him to the very end. Those who continue to the end enjoy greater privileges and blessings.”

Musa Gotom (Nigeria) in “2 Kings” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 444.

There’s a valuable lesson here for anyone who wants to grow in generosity.

The more we participate with God’s workers in his work, like Elisha journeyed with Elijah, the more privileges and blessings we will experience.

It’s like getting a front row seat in the action of watching God’s kingdom come on earth.

But be ready. If we choose this path, people who are on our same team (the company of the prophets) will do everything they can to discourage us. They will try to talk us out of it.

Don’t go the distance. Don’t take risks. Sound familiar?

The Christian life is a journey of radical obedience that counts the cost and pays the price. It sacrifices everything and, in so doing, gains the whole world.

Or in Elisha’s case, gains a double portion of the blessings of Elijah!