Helping the Poor

Proverbs 19:
17. When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord
and He pays wonderful interest on your loan!
Living Bible

1 Corinthians 13:
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned,
but have not love, it profits me nothing.
New King James Bible

It is indeed wonderful to know that when I help the poor, the Lord will reward me.
However, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the Lord is also looking into my inner person to gauge the state of my heart when I give to the poor.

Paul reminds me that unless my giving is done with LOVE, it profits me nothing!
So how do I make sure I'm giving with LOVE?

To love, in the way God loves us, means that we have the best interest of the other person in mind when we give.
It may seem that this must be the obvious reason for helping those less fortunate than ourselves, but it isn't always!
   Sometimes we give so that others, who are looking on at us, will be impressed and think we are really good people.
That's not loving the poor.
   Sometimes we give out of some kind of guilt.
That's not loving the poor.
   Sometimes we give just to get someone off our back.

There are many other reasons why humans choose to do acts of kindness. However, we may be missing out on our reward from the Lord, if the best interests of the poor are not our primary concern.

Here's another thought from the Lord Jesus:
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.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. New King James Bible

Prayer:
Father, I ask today that You will help me in my interactions with others today, always to act towards them with their best interest at heart, whether or not they are poor,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.

There's a new thought here tomorrow.
See you then, God willing!