Openhearted Generosity

In the laws given to the Jewish people in the Old Testament, particular concern is given to the care of the poor as individuals and as a community.

Deuteronomy 15: 1 - 4 (NIV)

15 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you

There should be no poor in the community and for those who need financial help, the debt should be cancelled at the end of each 7 year period so that no-one becomes burdened with unaffordable debt or trapped in poverty. Some of these principles are still seen in systems in this country today - a DRO (Debt Relief Order) which many of our clients benefit from to become debt free is where unaffordable debts are written off over a period of a year. You are then on the insolvency register, affecting your credit rating for the next six years before this is cleared. Unfortunately this is just one process out of many, and the poverty trap is very real for many in our communities, like our Ely and District CAP clients.

Deuteronomy 15: 7 - 11 (NIV)

7 If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 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. 11 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.

God gives the Israelites a responsibility of care towards the poor among them, calling for openhearted generosity, not out of obligation or duty but out of love. Jesus reinforces this throughout His ministry, parables such as that of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 demonstrating the open handed, ungrudging love of God in welcoming anyone who is poor - financially, in spirit, in love - into His home.

Luke 15: 28 - 31 (NIV)

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

The older brother is angry, because he only sees the financial side, that he has worked hard but his brother who squandered his money is rewarded. But the father calls for gladness in the redemption of one who was lost and for open hearted generosity, not just financially but emotionally as well.

And so should we be generous and open handed with the gifts that we have, as these are blessings from God to be shared and not hoarded. Ely and District CAP could not function to help those trapped in poverty in the CB6 and CB7 postcode areas without the love, support, prayer and gifts of the individuals and churches which support us - of finance which support the CAP debt centre, of time such as being a befriender, of love to help walk alongside our clients for their journeys out of debt. Gifts of prayer, administration, promotion and so many more that can be used and shared to support all within our communities in the love and fellowship of God. And this is only one way in which we can be open heartedly generous with the gifts of love that we have from our loving Father.

Money Coaching

The Money Coaching course is now on the second session for both the Wednesday and Saturday groups. Pray that they would be able to use the practical help and the support of the group to better understand and be in control of their finances.

Schools Money Coaching has also started at St. Mary's School with the first session on Monday. This covered two afternoon lessons but the children were engaged throughout. Please pray for the team and volunteers, for all the hard work they have put in to making this sessions engaging and rewarding for the children and for the sessions to come.

Find out more about Money Coaching: CAP Money Coaching

Prayer

Please pray for all those in our community who are struggling with poverty and debt, that they would be aware of all the different services and charities that can offer them help as well as the help that Ely and District CAP can offer through the journey out of debt and money coaching.

Pray for our debt coaches who during March will be training on new systems to help streamline the process in the background between the work on the ground and the work at head office, working together to help an client with their individual journey out of debt. Pray especially for Kim as she starts her debt coach training in March alongside this.

Next Prayer Meeting

The next prayer meeting will be Wednesday 4th March 7pm at the Countess Church. This is a great opportunity to meet together, share CAP news, catch up and pray together for the work of Ely and District CAP. Please do come along and bring along any friends who may be interested in finding out more about Ely and District CAP.