Moment of Meditation: Borrowers (Psalm 37:21)

The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives.
(Psalm 37:21)

Borrowers

It seems that everyone hates a borrower. We're not sure whether or not we'll be repaid. We wonder why this person wants to borrow this item. What are they going to do with it? All these questions are there because we know people who don't intend to pay it back.

Luther writes in a sermon on John 6, "Our Lord God does not bestow more on one than on another only to have us misuse it for purposes of arrogance and luxury but to have us more willingly help others, who need it, and to save for them and for us." God gave us things so that we can use them for others. St. Benedict also used this idea when he wrote his rule for monasteries. He takes the example of the apostolic church and exhorts Christians to imitate them: "Let all things be common to all, as it is written (Acts 4:32), and let no one say or assume that anything is his own" (Rule of Benedict 33).

That's where the psalmist comes to us this morning. What we have has been given to us so that we may give to others in need. Look around this morning and see who the Lord may have put in your life in order to give to them. Amen.