Offering Repayment
Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.” - 2 Samuel 19:36-37
Barzillai agreed to go part of the way across the Jordan but kindly declined any kind of repayment. He had pure motives when he helped David. His giving was done out of love. Barzillai’s focus was preparing for the inevitable, his death and where he would be buried. However, Chimham, his name meaning “their longing”, went with David. He was a follower of Barzillai and most probably his son.
Imagine how many people expect a reward for doing something for another person––when, as Christians,we should not. We are servants of the Lord and should never take advantage of other people’s finances. When we give to others with pure motives the Lord sees and He is the one who rewards us. Jesus shared how to give without drawing attention to ourselves:
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doingthat your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly (Matthew 6:3-4).
Like Barzillai, our focus should never be about money or material gain between our fellow Christians. What is important is to lay up our treasures in heaven. Remember, whatever things we have on earth, hold on to them lightly––we cannot take material things with us when we die.
…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…
~Matthew 6:20-21~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!