Refusing to care for the needs of the poor means that we are not merely lacking in generosity—it means that we have forsaken Jesus Himself (Matthew 25:31-46).
We must apply the Greatest Commandments to our money and possessions (see Luke 10:25-37). Everything in God’s law hangs on these two commandments: to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). So, when confronted by financial decisions, we should ask ourselves, “Have I considered the financial needs of others to be as important as my own?” (see also Philippians 2:3-4).
We must imitate the sacrificial example of Jesus on the cross. His self-emptying death should become a way of life for us as generous Christians. This applies not only to our lives in general (Ephesians 5:1-2) but to our possessions in particular (2 Corinthians 8:9). “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (1 John 3:16-17).
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