Radical idea

26 When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies."

 27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; 28 to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa 29 and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; 30 to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach 31 and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed. 1 Samuel 30:26-31

Yesterday's blog was about "the church" being the body of Christ and sharing so that no one had need. Look at these verses:

16 This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer ^[a] for each person you have in your tent.' "

 17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed. Exodus 16:16-18

34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Acts 4:34-35

13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Cor 8:13-15

I know that is hard to grasp
a church doing that in today's culture, but I want to push it a lot further…what if the churches did that with each other?

Think about what David did in the passage above. He sent some of "the plunder" to friends and elders in other places, to people who were his kinsman.

What if the church did this today?

What if we saw ourselves as "brothers" and not competitors? What if we saw ourselves as connected to Christ instead of independent? What if we realized when one of us suffers, the "body of Christ" suffers?

I think the church takes way too much credit for what God is doing and therefore feels it has a right to gather more manna. As we gather more, there is the tendency to rely on "our work" for security; think about how many churches have huge "stockpiles" for the "just in case".

Do we not trust in God for our manna, our "daily" bread?

May God turn our hearts to His ways!

57The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 1 Kings 8:57-59