Remember that you were slaves!

S-Deuteronmoy 24:¹⁹ When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. ²⁰ When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. ²¹ When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. ²² Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

O- Once we have accumulated stuff it is so easy to fall into the temptation of hoarding or looking at all of it and justifying in our minds how much of it we actually need and how much of it we can share with others. I am sure that the Israelites had the same feelings when God told them to leave extra crops unharvested so that the less fortunate could have an opportunity to gather some crops for themselves.

(I also had some observations on the redistribution of wealth, making the poor work for their charity, and weather we should make a distinction on which type of poor people we choose to help, but I will stay away from those controversial topics.)

What I loved most about this scripture is that God reminds them that He is their deliverer and he is the one that provided them with what they have so looking down on those who don't have things is just like saying that I worked hard for everything I have and I am my provider instead of Jehovah Jireh. We have two choices when we have come out of a bad situation in our life. We can either have compassion for those that are in similar situations or we can look down on them for not rising above it like we did. If we choose option two we are overrating ourselves and our ability and downplaying God's role in our life. It reminds me of the story of a little girl that helped her mom cook dinner by adding some salt to the pot of food that she was cooking and when her dad came home she says, "Daddy, I cooked dinner for you." How often are we like the little girl when God is working everything together for the good for us yet we perceive it as our own personal success story?

A- I want to to recognize and remember what God has done in my life and also I want to be compassionate toward those who struggle with what I used to even if it seems like they are taking longer to get delivered from it than I did. I need to realize that God was my deliverer and not my work ethic. I want to show my gratitude for what God has done by helping those who are struggling in areas that I no longer do I also want let go of my natural tendency to hoard and to accumulate security so that I don't have to rely on God as much. Finally, I need to be able to discern what I "need" and what God wants me to give to others less fortunate than I am.

P-Lord, Please help me to do all of the aforementioned things because I can't unless you help me to do so. Amen.