aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent) (07/25/85)
From rjb@akgua.UUCP (R.J. Brown [Bob]): > I think that capitalism with a conscience is the best way > to help the poor. People who prosper according to God's principles > willingly sharing with those in need AND teaching them the skills > they need for self-support + prosperity so THEY can help others - > that's the ideal I think we should shoot for !! This can be generalized to all aspects of the Christian life. Remember that Jesus said (John 7:37-38 NIV), "If a man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." In other words: Yes, Christ elsewhere talked a lot about loving others, and even applied the word "commandment" to his directions; and sometimes we may just have to take it that way and force ourselves to be decent and caring in order to be able to stand ourselves. But what Jesus was hoping for was for us to be so overflowing, for our own lives to be so abundant (John 10:10), that we would just naturally be free to give of ourselves. He wants us to receive so much from Him that we can give in any amount. One significant verse in the foot-washing scene that people usually pass over correlates well with this (John 13:3-5): "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God;" -- in other words, Jesus had received so much that he could afford to give even this service, normally performed by lowly slaves -- "so He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." Note the implication: Jesus knew all this, SO he washed His disciples' feet. The same can be true with us: We can know we have freely received, SO we can freely give. -- -- Jeff Sargent {decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h!aeq The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16) The prayer of a not-so-righteous man availeth sometimes.... (Rich McDaniel)