Read Deuteronomy 14:22-29.

You may not realize it, but the world we live in has been totally shaped by God’s heart and the way He instructed the Israelites to live. Even in a culture that rejects the gospel, the gospel has infiltrated it’s way into the fabric of our society. Today, we’ll take a look at just one of the ways that God and His people lived counter-culturally in this time and set a standard for the rest of humanity.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

God has always and will always care about His people taking care of the overlooked, hurting, and broken people around us. He commands the Israelites store up all of the food that they would tithe to the Lord on every third year and keep it in their towns. Then He tells them to use this food to feed the foreigners, fatherless, and widows. While God cares about our generosity towards Him, He also cares about our generosity towards others. Especially others that are struggling.

This practice on every third year would have been very different from what you would find in other nations when it came to the hungry and the struggling. People only looking out for themselves, having little to no concern for others around them, and caring more about their own wealth and well-being than that of others. However, God, who created all people equally in His image cares about every life. From the person that is leading a nation with a crown and a thrown, to the person that is begging for change on the side of the street. These lives are equally valuable to God and as Christians, they should be equally valuable to us.

Our God cares that you are finding ways to bless and take care of those who are less fortunate than you and need help. In doing so, we represent Christ to people who need His love, peace, provision and most importantly His saving gospel. Jesus tells a story to His disciples about taking care of less fortunate in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:37-40
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Jesus’ point is this, He cares about the way we take care of others. In our context, as we sit next to the people sitting alone and serve the people that no one wants to serve in our schools or lives, Jesus says that we are doing so to Him. Our God has always and will always care about His people taking care of others.

Questions to consider.
Take a moment to think on Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25, if the way you treated the overlooked and hurting people in your life is the way that you treated Jesus? Would you have neglected Jesus? Cared for Him? Loved on Him? Talked negatively about Him?

What practical steps can you take to care for some of the hurting and needy people in your life?

Take some time to pray and ask God to show you who in your life needs some of their practical needs met and who you can show the love of Christ to.