Aren't we to take Jesus at his word, "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you"? ~Matthew 5:42 and again in Luke 6:30 Jesus is even more open to others by telling us not to demand our rights even if they are infringed. It sounds to me like the love of Christ necessitates our sacrifice - again and again.
And if we basically just make ourselves unavailable to others so we are not physically around to be asked to help, it seems like a cop-out - a loophole - but I guess if Jesus did it by going off by himself, alone, often, and he's the example we're to follow... "be as wary as snakes and as harmless as doves." ~Matthew 10:16 NLT. In other words, of course we should give to everyone who asks of us (just make sure you're 'out of the office' a lot when they come calling ;). (That Jesus is a smart one! ;)
So, I wonder what happens in our heart or in the other person’s heart when we “Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back,”? There must be some reason why Jesus said we are to sacrifice ourselves like this and it must be for our benefit because God doesn’t limit us just for another’s benefit…
I think Jesus answers my question in the next verses of Luke 6, “If you do this, then your reward from heaven will be great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father in compassionate.” We are to continually give because the God who we all want to be like continually gives, forgives, loves… if we don’t, then can we really call ourselves his children?
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