"At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. Give generously to [the poor] and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today" (Deuteronomy 15:1, 10, 11, 15).

How should we apply these Old Testament economic laws to our Christian lives? One way is to consider the principles which govern these laws. Verse 15 offers this summary, "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you." Then this is added, "That is why I give you this command today."

Frequently, Israel is reminded to remember her history: she began as a nation of slaves. God took her out of Egypt, setting her free and establishing her in a new place. This happened not because Israel was deserving of it, but because God is generous and loving, full of mercy and compassion. This history was to shape Israel's religious and economic imagination. As such, Israel was to follow in God's footsteps, to imitate him.

We tend to spiritualize this by concluding that we need to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us. This is valid. Jesus was very clear on this, saying, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14,15). Jesus uses language which seems to borrow heavily from Deuteronomy 15, "Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."

This forgiving is the heart of the Christian faith, and it is a difficult thing to do. The best way into forgiveness is to lean into the truth that we are forgiven. The sacraments are meant to bring our imaginations back to this heart of our faith, "I am forgiven." Still, it is difficult to practice. Often, when we meet someone, we have forgiven, we find ourselves needing to go through the process of forgiving all over again. As Jesus said, 70 x 7.

However, this passage should not be limited to the spiritual. This passage should poke and prod our hearts. It's difficult to share our hard-earned money. We easily find reasons why poor people do not deserve our generosity. This is exactly what God is calling out here. Why did Israel deserve freedom? Why do we deserve to be forgiven by God? There is no reason for either! Israel was freed and we are forgiven simply because God is gracious. And in that we are to imitate him.

God's resources are limitless and he gives lavishly to the undeserving. Two reasons for us to be generous. The road to generosity is not to look at our bank accounts, but to look at God, as it says fix your "eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.