November 24

Giving to the poor is something that many Christians are doing these days. Social justice is high on many people’s list of important ministries. I have heard people say that giving to the poor and needy should only be done if you can preach the gospel to them or if they can have some sort of spiritual benefit that includes a personal opportunity to come to Christ. While I agree that is it a wonderful thing and important for people to have direct ministry, here in today’s passage I learned something. Giving to the poor is an offering to the Lord. Without any by-product of the giving being mentioned, giving to the poor is mentioned three times as something that Cornelius did that was godly. Even if you never mention Christ when you are giving, you are doing a wonderful thing in God’s eyes. I don’t mean to say that we shouldn’t minister the Word of God and give hope to the needy, I do think that and deeply desire to do it! What I am saying is that the act of giving is, in and of itself a work of God in us! It produces God’s character and is a production of God’s character in us. The point to me is give. Give when you can preach, give when you can talk about God, give when all you can utter is a “God bless you”, and give when you can’t say a word. Giving is a wonderful thing.