As I read that Scripture, above, I had this contemporary thought: David was asking for welfare. In the modern day, this could be a reason to criticize him, for his lack of preparation. In this present day, responses such as that of Nabal are often accepted as being appropriate; especially, as far as his answer to the request for sustenance, to give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be. David could have been engaging in welfare fraud; couldn’t he? Nabal had a right–maybe even, a responsibility–to properly manage the distribution of his assets; didn’t he? Actually, he did; and, most definitely, his responsible behavior needed to include this consideration.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
(Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
As you study situations in life, such as this one; be sure to feel the Spirit. In Scripture, the Spirit identifies the spirit of the matter . . . as openly presented in lead-in statements about the environment and the characters that are in it. As you analyze your present situation, the Sprit will feed impressions to your spirit. For instance, the Spirit may feed you this impression of someone: the man was churlish and evil in his doings. This may come through, to your spirit, as a feed from your mind, along with the following possibility: if a person is too comparative about their own achievement, or boastful about their present lifestyle (which God can modify, in an instant); then, you may be witnessing this coming, life correction in waiting.
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