Keys To I.S.R.A.E.L. - Celebrating God’s Holy LandSample

With Dignity and Fellowship

Days 31-40 focus on the letter “R” in I.S.R.A.E.L. — Righteous Giving — and explore the commandment God gave to His people as they entered the Promise Land to care for the poor and the oppressed.

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Not all giving is the same. While the act itself of making a financial donation might look the same on the outside, what’s on the inside of the giver makes all the difference.

Some giving comes with strings attached, where the giver expects something in return from the recipient. In those instances, the recipient is made to feel that he or she “owes” their benefactor, be it exaggerated honor, total compliance, or something else. Then there is giving with feelings of judgment and disparagement of the recipient. While these feelings might not be put into words, attitude can still be felt deeply by the recipient.

Finally, there is also giving with generosity and love. The giver expects nothing in return from the recipient. This is giving with dignity where the benefactor doesn’t diminish the beneficiary, but honors and respects the person regardless of his or her situation. These sentiments can also be sensed by the recipient even if they are not expressed vocally.

In these verses from Deuteronomy 24, God makes it clear that He wants us to give to others in a way that helps the recipient without diminishing his or her dignity. Among the laws laid down in chapter, Scripture teaches that when a person gives a loan to a person, he or she may not enter the home of the recipient in order to collect the collateral. Rather, the person receiving the loan must bring the collateral out to the lender. 

Such delicate sensitivity protects the dignity of the person receiving the loan. The Torah continues and explains that if the item of collateral is the borrower’s coat, the lender must return it at night if the borrower is poor, so that he or she will not go to sleep cold. Again, we are encouraged to help the person in a truly thoughtful manner.

Next time we offer assistance to someone, let’s pay attention to how we give. Are we giving without judgment? Do we have unspoken expectations? When we are generous and respectful in our giving, we can revitalize a person in crisis – both body and soul.