LLLV18 1-15-2018 Moses Maimonides on the Best way to Give
This time of year, tax exempt organizations are busy sending out year-end reports to those who contributed for the person to receive a tax deduction for the charitable donation. One group had this statement telling the givers that they had contributed to the furtherance of the Gospel:
Testificari Evangelium Grattaie Dei. i.e. to testify the gospel of the grace of God!
On the matter of charitable giving writer Elizabeth Bibesco gives profound wisdom:
“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
One of the saddest phrases in the English language is, “And after we have done for him/her or them.” And people of character, when forced by circumstance to accept charity, know the truth Jesus Christ stated so eloquently by Paul here:
Acts 20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (NKJV).
Paul was probably referring to this verse or one akin to it:
Matthew 6:1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (NKJV).
On the remembering part I have a long list of people who have given to me and the ministry over the years. I am eternally thankful for them. I do not keep a record of those helped for the reasons stated in this piece. It’s obvious that deducting charitable gifts is not in view here. Bragging in some form around the church about how much you give is, biblically, out of line. Rabbi Moses Maimonides said in part concerning the greatest type of giving to needy individuals:
“When one knows to whom one gives, but the recipient does not know his benefactor. The greatest sages used to walk about in secret and put coins in the doors of the poor. It is worthy and truly good to do this.”
Food for thought?
Copyright © 2018 Larry Lilly
Best IT Work! Oral Deckard
This time of year, tax exempt organizations are busy sending out year-end reports to those who contributed for the person to receive a tax deduction for the charitable donation. One group had this statement telling the givers that they had contributed to the furtherance of the Gospel:
Testificari Evangelium Grattaie Dei. i.e. to testify the gospel of the grace of God!
On the matter of charitable giving writer Elizabeth Bibesco gives profound wisdom:
“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
One of the saddest phrases in the English language is, “And after we have done for him/her or them.” And people of character, when forced by circumstance to accept charity, know the truth Jesus Christ stated so eloquently by Paul here:
Acts 20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (NKJV).
Paul was probably referring to this verse or one akin to it:
Matthew 6:1 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (NKJV).
On the remembering part I have a long list of people who have given to me and the ministry over the years. I am eternally thankful for them. I do not keep a record of those helped for the reasons stated in this piece. It’s obvious that deducting charitable gifts is not in view here. Bragging in some form around the church about how much you give is, biblically, out of line. Rabbi Moses Maimonides said in part concerning the greatest type of giving to needy individuals:
“When one knows to whom one gives, but the recipient does not know his benefactor. The greatest sages used to walk about in secret and put coins in the doors of the poor. It is worthy and truly good to do this.”
Food for thought?
Copyright © 2018 Larry Lilly
Best IT Work! Oral Deckard