Sharing

 Greetings to  you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

     Matthew 5:32 says, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

     We lived near railroad track and often heard the train whistle at the other end of a long corn field as the New York Central would pass by.   At one point in our lives in this new area, we noticed that a lot of hobos were stopping at our back door and asking for a sandwich. Mom was a tad frightened by them but always made a sandwich for them and they politely thanked her and would be on their way.  There seemed to be a string of them coming to our door and that was when Dad found an “X” scratched on our white mailbox. We had been marked by the firs hobo as that this was a place for a sandwich.  Dad painted the mailbox and the line of hobos stopped.  Even though Mom grumbled at it, she always gave them a sandwich of ham salad, made with bologna, pickle and mayo and a glass of water.

     If we open our eyes, we soon realize that there are those around us who have needs and sometimes they are financial needs.  I have been guilty of not being very generous with my wallet but more recently, things have changed in my attitude towards my very limited amount of money.  When I find that there are genuine needs, I feel the urge to give towards it.  I think our nation has been a good example at times even though it seems we give more to the foreign people than our own who also have needs.  It was interesting to note that in the recent shortage of baby formula that a shipment came from a foreign country to us.  We had a need and someone else gave to supply that need.   Missions is where the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached to the lost around the world.  Much of the money raised for missions still stays in the United States.  Harold Stevens once said that we spend more money on dog food than we do for world missions.  I have mentioned before that the blessing is a two way affair, both for the recipient and the giver.  I may get scammed by some people now and then but that is between them and the Lord.  The church, which is the group of believers, still needs to reach out in both home and world missions.  I am often so glad I am in America and not in Syria or the Ukraine or Iraq or the Sudan.  These people still need our help as a nation and as the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  If nothing else, please pray for the strife, hunger and needs of the Gospel for those who are lost whether it be in the Bronx or Timbuktu, Chicago or Madrid, San Francisco, or Hong Kong.  Praise God for His blessings to all of us.  May we all be ready to give when the need is in front of us.