Generously Opening the Hand to Those in Need

OUR God Jehovah leads the way when it comes to being generous. And this is not simply because as the Owner of all things he has the wherewithal to be generous. It is because he is the very personification of love and every generous sentiment. As the sweet singer of Israel declared: “You [Jehovah] are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.” (Ps. 145:16) He makes his rain fall and his sun shine upon even the least deserving ones. (Matt. 5:45) How thoughtful, how considerate he is of all of us tiny creatures on this small planet!

As for those who come near to worship him, he teaches them to strive to be like him in his dealings with others. Back in an age that some reputedly wise men of our time have viewed as “primitive,” this generous God instructed his worshipers as follows: “You should generously open up your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land.” (Deut. 15:11) With the inculcation of this teaching there would be no need for great charity drives or campaigns, no need to pay large salaries to professional fund-raisers. People would respond to the teaching and example of the One who “gives generously to all and without reproaching.”​—Jas. 1:5.

When accosted by a crippled beggar, for example, Peter said to the man: “Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I do have is what I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” What was it they imparted to him? Not just the healing, though that was marvelous enough. It is evident that they aroused in the man a deep appreciation of the one in whose name the healing was done, Jesus of Nazareth, and of the One who sent Jesus into the world, Jehovah God. The account goes on to tell how the man was “walking and leaping and praising God” as he went into the temple.​—Acts 3:6-8.