The Christian and Tzedakah

 The Christian and Tzedakah

In the book of Deuteronomy we read,

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour… Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land." Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

Here is a simple command given by God. Believers are to help the poor and needy. It is one of the obligations we as believers have toward God and our fellow man. It’s if you will a human rights issue.

We should not look down on the poor because we don’t know why or how they got into the position they are in. Instead we should be looking to help them up and out of poverty.

In Judaism there is a term called “Tzedakah”. This is in brief is what I found out about Tzedakah from a Jewish website. It is something anyone calling themselves a Christian should consider.

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. 

However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy....

The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due....

Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper...

According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor...."

Here in North America there are many ways to help those in need. Simply giving money to a charitable organization or food bank. Volunteering at a homeless shelter, or a food bank. 

Writing to your local politician asking them to build more affordable housing, or shelters for the homeless, raising the minimum wage. 

Even providing more opportunities for those in need to be trained in necessary skills that will help them up out of poverty. The list goes on and on. 

Why not take a few minutes now to consider how you can help the less fortunate in your neighbourhood.

Please think about it.

Not out of blind faith

Not out of blind faith

The Psalmist wrote,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." 

                                                                              Psalm 19:1-3.

Thousands of years later Albert Einstein one of the greatest scientist ever to live made an interesting statement. He said,

“Look deep into nature, 

and then you will understand everything better.”

                                                                 Albert Einstein

I have always been of the opinion that science done correctly will show there is a creator behind it all. And science seems to be heading in that direction.

Scientist are looking into nature. They are seeing that everything from the largest galaxies to the smallest subatomic particles have all come together to allow life as we know it here on earth to exist.

To me that speaks of a creator.

Einstein noted,

“Human beings vegetables or cosmic dust. 

We all dance to a mysterious tune, 

intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”

                                                              Albert Einstein.

I don’t know whether or not Einstein believed in God. I do know that his statement about we all being cosmic dust, dancing to a tune played an invisible player is true. 

The Bible tells me,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.

In other words God created the very cosmic dust that makes up the Earth the Universe and Everything in it. 

God is that “invisible player” Einstein spoke of.

Mankind is God’s creation. That being said God, in making mankind did not make robots. He made individuals with a freewill to do as they wish.

That includes the right to believe in God or not to believe in Him. I and billions of people like me believe God exists.

I believe in God not out of blind faith. I believe in God because of what I see around me. I have looked at what the Bible says and what science says and find no contradiction. Both point to a creator.

The choice however is up to you. Each individual must decide what they believe and ultimately live with the consequence of their decision.

Please think about it.   

Obligations

 Obligations

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3,4.

As Christians, believers in Christ Jesus the apostle Paul tells us we are not only to look out for our own interests but the interests of others. In James 2:14-20, we are encouraged to help those who are in need among us.

I think amid the pandemic we are currently living through, this not only means for followers Christ Jesus to look out for the physical needs of others but also for the health of others. And if that means getting vaccinated we should be doing so. For in doing so we are looking out for the health of those around us.

I found this on the internet and while not of Christian origin I think it expresses something Christians consider.

“The single biggest thing I learned was from an indigenous elder of Cherokee descent, Stan Rushworth, who reminded me of the difference between a Western settler mindset of "I have right" and an indigenous mindset of "I have obligations." Instead of thinking that I am born with rights, I choose to think that I am born with obligations to serve the past, present, and future generations, and the planet herself.” Author unknown

Nowhere in the Bible are Christians given rights. Certainly Paul and the other apostle had no rights under Roman law. Rights are a secular concept evangelical Christians seem to have latched onto.

If we read the bible however we see we do have obligations to God, our family and to those around them.

So that being said, do you honour the obligations you have to God and others?

Please think about it.

Moral teacher or Son of God?

 Moral teacher or Son of God?

John’s gospel records this event in the life of Jesus,

(Jesus said) "I and the Father are one." 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10:30-33.

Jesus here makes a bold statement about himself. One he I am sure knew could get him killed. He equated himself with God. Something considered blasphemy in Jewish circles at the time. A crime deserving of death. Yet he still made it. 

C. S. Lewis makes the point,

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

So who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

The Lord

 The Lord 

The Psalmist writes,

“The LORD is my shepherd, 

I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

                                                                                                   Psalm 23.

Who is the shepherd of your life. A pastor? An evangelist? A teacher? A politician?

If you are truly a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. The Lord and The Lord alone should be the shepherd of your life. It’s really that simple. There are no ands, ifs, or buts about it.

Through good times and bad times The Lord must be the shepherd of your life. So who is the shepherd of your life?

Please think about it.

The Church Assembling Together

 The Church Assembling Together

    In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25.

Someone has said the Bible is a book for the ages. A wise book that is explicitly detailed when it needs to be. 

Here is one such example of a verse that is explicit. The writer of Hebrews tells us to “not give up meeting together”

So what does that mean amid a world wide pandemic? Some have said, that it means we should still meet in person irrespective of what the government rules are.

I think this is wrong.

When the author of Hebrews was inspired to write these words down the only way they could meet together was in person. 

Think of it the writer of Hebrews was an Iron age man. He did not know what the internet, Facebook, YouTube or Zoom were. But God did. God knew that one day they would come about and be able to be used by the church not only for a local church to assemble together but for the whole world to see.

Think about this. The pandemic has caused the majority of churches especially here in North America to go on line where they can reach people around the world. People they could never reach from the comfort of there own church building. 

While having a church building with all its comforts is nice. Meeting on line or as some churches have done meeting “socially distanced” in parking lots, even parks, and in some cases, I’ve even heard of churches meeting in farmers fields. 

What the pandemic has done, if you think about it. It has forced the church to go beyond the boundaries of the building it meets in, and evangelise those who would not normally have ever set foot inside the building.

Please think about it. 

      “And forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” be it in person or on line.

Fruit

Fruit

The apostle Paul wrote,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

If you claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus are the above fruit of the Spirit showing in your life?

When those around you look at your life are they seeing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?

If not they should be, because it is only by showing these qualities that we will attract people to Christ. 

Perhaps one of my favourite quotes from outside the Bible come from Francis of Assisi who said,

"The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                Francis of Assisi

The other thing Francis of Assisi is know for is what is commonly called the prayer of St. Francis. It is a prayer anyone who claims to be a true follower of Christ Jesus, a Christian should consider praying and taking to heart. It reads,

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." 

                                                                          Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.

Have them do to you?

Have them do to you?

Jesus said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12

Put this way in the year 2021 this means;

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals on others

however good they may be.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others 

rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

If you 

are telling the world you are a Christian

You should be telling the world 

I love you as Jesus loves you,...

unconditionally.

Please think about it

Reaching others

 Reaching others.

  In Marks gospel we read of this incident in the life of Jesus,

"While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.  

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners'?" 

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:15-17

Today there are many calling themselves Christians who are acting exactly the way the Pharisees were acting. 

The Pharisees it seems from the text would not sit with “sinners”. Which is a problem. It was a problem then, and it is equally a problem today.

Jesus told his disciples and through them us,

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19, 20.

As followers of Christ we cannot pick and choose who we reach for Christ. Not only that if we criticize, or try to restrict a persons lawful rights given them by a secular government we will push people away.

As believers in Christ Jesus we must always remember the words of Jesus who said,

“So in everything, do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 

                                                          Matthew 7:12.

Only then will we be able to reach souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Who are you relying on?

 Who are you relying on?

The Psalmist writes,

"I lift up my eyes to the hills— 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD,

 the Maker of heaven and earth.”

                                                   Psalm 121:1,2.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus, where does your help come from? Are you sure you are truly relying on the Lord, The Maker of heaven and earth?

In Psalm twenty we are reminded,

"Some trust in chariots

 and some in horses, 

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." 

                                                                            Psalm 20:7.

It is so easy for a person to slip from relying on The Lord to relying of our material possessions. Quite often we do it without even realizing it.

So I ask you again, if you truly believe you are a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus; Are you relying on God or something else?

Please think about it.

There is only one

 There is Only One 

The apostle Paul writes,

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.  1 Timothy 2:5,6.

What the apostle Paul is saying here is what all true Christian, what all true believers in Christ Jesus believe. 

Jesus is the one mediator between God and men.

Jesus himself is recorded as saying, 

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

As a Christian I believe I am obligated to tell anyone who will listen to me this fact. Then let them decide for themselves if it is true or false.

If it is false there is no need for worry. 

If it is true then at the very least the individual reading this needs to consider following Jesus and making Jesus Lord of their life.

Thus the choice is yours.

Please think about it.

Where?

 Where?

In the book of Hebrews we read,

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.

If you consider yourself a Christian where are your eyes fixed? Are they fixed on a political figure? Are they fixed on the things this world can offer? Are they fixed on particular teacher, or preacher? 

According to the writer of Hebrews they shouldn’t be. Believers in Christ Jesus should have their eyes firmly fixed on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

So I ask you again where are your eyes fixed?