Deuteronomy 15.9-10

“‘Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, “The seventh year, the year of release is near,” and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.’”

Remembering that, at the Sabbath year, all debts were cancelled, some might be unwilling to help their neighbor with a loan. Such an action, however, would vaunt love of self over love of neighbor, and must not be tolerated. It is tantamount to stealing from those in need. Love for our neighbors, especially those who are in need, should be its own motivation to do whatever is in our power to help, without thought of payback or reward.

At the same time, one had to be a good steward of the resources entrusted to him by the Lord; thus, in a situation such as is mentioned here, depending upon the amount of the need, one might be moved to enlist other neighbors in caring for the needy, so that the “loss” which the seventh year would incur would not be borne so heavily by one.

We’re not certain how these situations worked out. The important point is to notice that God promises to bless His people when they love one another as He loves them, from the heart, and generously, without regard to personal gain.

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