We have to keep learning to share. The bible everywhere talks about sharing and helping the needy. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed to harvest their grains in such a way that the poor and needy will still have something to eat.
In the New Testament, the apostles all shared what they had to take care of those who did not have.
The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other.
Acts 4:32[CEV]
Likewise, in the book of Romans and chapter twelve verse thirteen, the writer speaks about helping Christians like you.
Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.
Rom 12:13[CEV]
Another translation puts it this way
Share what you have with God’s people who are in need. Be hospitable.”
Rom 12:13 [GW]
Do you have a friend who is a believer like you, maybe at school, church, or the neighborhood? Do you share what you have with them according to the verse above?
As a Christian, you are supposed to first share with your fellow brethren as the apostles did in the bible. Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. keep learning to share.
Your neighbors are your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
May the Lord instill in you a heart of love towards your fellow Christians. Amen
Prayer: Lord help me love my fellow Christians as commanded. Amen.
Action point: In what ways can you share your things with fellow Christians who are your friends?
Declaration: I share my things with those around me.
The mercy of God is one beautiful thing we enjoy from God daily. The bible tells us so
“The Lord’s love never ends. His mercies never stop. They are new every morning. Lord, your loyalty is great.” Lamentations 3:21 ICB.
God displays a basic and constant part of Himself through showing us mercy. That you didn’t need to be perfect before He sent Jesus to die for you. In your imperfect state He saw the need for His mercy in your life.
This mercy of God goes beyond Him just making us wake up and rise up from our beds every day. It shows in many ways that even you can’t count or see. Or can you name all the times God has shown you mercy in times you didn’t know you needed mercy? Some favourable things that have happened to you were just His way of showing you His mercy.
The times when you don’t ask for or even know that you need the mercy of God, He has shown up for you. Because that is His specialty. He sees the future ahead of you. He knows what is going to happen if you make friends with some classmates with questionable characters in school. That’s why He made your parents not allow you go to the party they invited you to. He knows everything about your life – He is your Creator.
The mercy of God is a constant reminder that He is still alive and working in your life. No matter what you may be happening to you right now, know that His mercies are working for you. Ask Him daily for His mercies as much as you can. He never tires of hearing you ask. Remember that they are new every morning.
May the mercy of God be yours forever and ever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer: My Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercies over me. Thank you that they are new every day. I ask that you daily load me with your mercies. In Jesus; name, amen.
Action Plan: Never forget to ask for the mercies of God daily.
Tunrayo borrowed Lola’s Geography notebook from school to copy the new lesson into her own notebook. She flung the notebook into her bag and pushed the bag aside to the wall. When it was time to leave for home, Tunrayo stuffed her books and pen into her bag, crushing all the items in it, before zipping it right. The next day at day, when she returned Lola’s book, it was not like it was before. The edges were bent, there was oil stains and water marks all over it. (Does this portray “love your neighbour”?)
‘Tunrayo, what happened to my book?’ a shocked Lola asked.
You see, Tunrayo didn’t know that she was destroying Lola’s book with the way she was handling it. And she returned it not the way she borrowed it from Lola.
Let’s see what God has to say about this in the bible, in line with love your neighbour as yourself.
“A man might borrow an animal from his neighbor. It might get hurt or die while the owner is not there. Then the one who borrowed it must pay the owner for the animal. Exodus 22:14 ICB
Well, in this case, it’s a notebook that was borrowed. Yes, Fikayo gave it back but it wasn’t the way she had borrowed it.
The thing is, would you like to receive your belongings back in a rough, torn or dirty way? If no, then why would you want to do that to someone?
Remember, loving your neighbor is a sign of how much you love yourself and how well you want to be treated. If you want to be treated well by others, treat other people well too. If you love yourself well, you will love others too; you will love your neighbour as yourself.
What should Fikayo had done with Lola’s notebook? She should have handled it with care and ensured she returned it as she had received it. Even better than she had. That would have made Lola happy and ensured that she lend more of her books to Fikayo. But with what Fikayo did with the book, Lola might likely never borrow her anything ever again.
May you receive the grace to be a good neighbour. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, make me a good neighbour. Help me to love your neighbour in Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer point: What have you borrowed from people? Did you return them in a good condition? Or a bad one?
Today we will be learning how to love your neighbour as yourself from the story of Tom.
Tom glanced outside of the window, away from his video game, and noticed the dark clouds signaling rain any moment now. He returned to his game till it began to rain. It rained for hours. Remember the story is about ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’
Later that day, Fikayo, Tom’s roommate returned from class and found his clothes drenched on the line. He knew Tom had seen him this morning when he was washing. Why hadn’t Tom helped him to pack his clothes off the line before it rained? Did Tom not learn “love your neighbour as yourself”?
“Tom, why didn’t you help me to pack my clothes when it began to rain?’ asked Fikayo. ‘I don’t know.’ Tom replied.
Fikayo shook his head sadly and left Tom to his video game. “You must learn to love your neighbour as yourself,” he thought as he left.
In the bible, God laid down some instructions to the Israelites concerning this “love your neighbour as yourself” matter.
You might see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep wandering away. Don’t ignore it. Take it back to its owner. The owner might not live close to you. Or you might not know who he is. Then take the animal home with you. Keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then give it back to him. Deuteronomy 22:1 – 2 ICB
He says that it is a sin if you act nonchalantly towards your neighbor’s belongings. Not that you should be on the lookout for their things. No. What it means is that, when you are in a position to help keep their things safe, you should do so. Love your neighbour as yourself.
Just like Tom in our story. He knew it was going to rain and he didn’t help his roommate – his neighbor, to pack his clothes in. Even if Fikayo was not his roommate, but because he saw him washing and Tom was around when it began to rain. He should have portrayed “love your neighbour as yourself.”
All he could have done was to take some minutes to demonstrate how much he loves his neighbor by helping to pack his clothes from the line. Learn to love your neighbour as yourself.
God isn’t saying that you should love your neighbour as yourself because they are good, but because He wants you to grow to a point where you can love people irrespective of who they are or what they do to you.
May God bless you and give you a heart of love for people. Amen
Prayer: Lord, help me to act responsibly towards people’s things around me, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Action point: Be watchful of people’s thing’s around you; love your neighbour as yourself
