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love?
Jackie Lee:
Interesting posts thanks for the insight I see what you are saying.
I believe I may have become a little hardened and I agree we should help.
Deborah-Leigh:
A good exercise may be to study Ray's biblical and scriptural teaching on love.
What is my motive when I give? Is it because I feel sympathy, do I feel I can help by giving, or do I question the person begging to find out why they are in such a state?
Once a beggar with a small dirty, runny nosed baby came for money at the foot of the steps of the Church I was once a member of. I rebuked her for her unclean soiled child and told her to wash her baby in the river that ran to the one side of the Church. The following number of weeks I did not see her. Then one day she came to me again with her child. She told me she had got a job and was very happy that I had rebuked her. So was I!
My motive that day was horror that a human being could use a child to invoke sympathy and use that emotion to extort money as a means for a living. What a horrible future for such a child. I was furious!
Other beggars who are quite hopeless have come to me for help and I have since found out that they are expereincing a rebellious spirit because they actually come from wealthy and well to do homes but they simply LIKE to be beggars! They LIKE to drink and they LIKE to be down and out......We know that God gives us all a weak heart and makes it strong through adversity and the evil we experience. I know that such evil, I can not erase if it is God's plan for that soul to be raised up in endurance and finally wisdom through suffering. It hurts me that there are so many that God is moulding into His image and likeness that are taking their shape through accute pain and suffering but that is my cross I bear. I trust God knows what He is doing and that He is showing me what He is doing sometimes, is a privilage and His means to bring me into His image and likeness too. I do not turn away from beggars. I ask. I question and I enquire after them. I am appauled at the dark dungeons of the mind and soul that these people that are broken yet unwilling to change, are trapped in.
I was trapped once in a 10 year clinical depression. Nothing helped me. At one time I could not physically move it was so bad. I got help because I did not want to die and neither did God design for me to die. He authored my pain and my recovery!
The world will get worse not better. I am at peace with that. We all have to turn to God if we want anything to get better. We have to seek Him and ask Him and emplore His Mercy, Blessing and Unmeritted Favor. A beggar will turn to man and a child of God will turn to their Father God. That is the difference. We are not God. God is God. We are here to know Him and learn to love Him and love as He loves. Read Ray's teaching if you have not done so already....God willing, it will help.....
Peace to you
Arcturus :)
TRUTHSEEKER:
--- Quote from: jennie on February 26, 2007, 02:06:50 PM ---Sorry ya'll, I have a somewhat different point of view. I think if someone asks me for something I give it. Jesus said "if they ask for your cloak give them your shirt too" or something like that. Even so, if I do as God leads me too and someone is taking advantage of me that is betweeen them and God. I've done what God wanted me to do. I have been taken advantage of but I don't really think about it that much.Jennie
--- End quote ---
Right on Jennie! If someone takes your kindness for weakness then it truly is a matter that they will have to take up with God. Just do as God leads and all will be well.
Jackie Lee:
Now sometimes isn't it better not to give?
I was giving to my addicted sister a few years back.
I refused to believe she had a drug problem, I borrowed on my credit cards helped her with an apartment bought her groceries.
This went on for almost a year.
The only thing that came out of that was my husband and I was deeper in debt.
The more I gave the more she wanted.
It was sad and bothered me when I had to say no more but it was affecting every aspect of my life.
gmik:
JackieLee, it is particularly hard to know what to do when its family and not strangers.
Some people God blessed w/ sweet, loving natures. Others (of us) have to really work at showing Gods love to people-it doesn't come natural. There are heathens by the millions that do plenty of loving, volunteer work and really live a sacrificial life.
When living close to God, in His Word, obeying what you can, praying, then He gives you the opportunity to help others or He leads you to not help-each situation is different. We often go by past experience, common sense, or that strong leading we get from Him (if we are listening). Sometimes isn't it just a matter of how much $$ you have at the time.
But wanting to help, living to help, developing a giving heart, all takes time & energy, and it won't happen if God isn't teaching you. Maybe we need to see idols in our heart to learn some things.
We've all been stung and we've all been blessed. Its all HIM.
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