Charitable request

Charity, by Bible definition, is the motivation behind what a person does.

“The first time that word occurs in Scripture tells you what the word’s about,” explains Jordan. “The English word ‘charity’ means ‘liberality to the poor and needy,’ and while giving to poor people is the way the word’s used in today’s vocabulary, that’s really not the essence of the word. The essence of the word is ‘liberality; openness to people who are in need.’

“In I Corinthians 13, and, by the way, this is a word Paul introduces, it says, [1] Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

[2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

[3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

[4] Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

5] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
[6] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
[7] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
[8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

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In I Corinthians 8, where Paul makes the overall statement, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifeth,” he teaches that “if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

Jordan explains, “In other words, if your brother’s offended by you eating meat offered to idols, Paul says to ‘walk charitably.’

“To walk charitably to the guy would be to put his needs above your needs; to put his concerns above your concerns. You’ve got a right to eat it, but because it grieves him, you can use your liberty not to do it and sacrifice your interest for the good of the other.

“Now, where does the motivation for that come from? The motivation is an understanding of God’s charity to us. I Cor. 13 is a chapter that talks a lot about charity. In chapter 12, he introduces it by saying, ‘Now concerning spiritual gifts.’

“He tells us about the spiritual gift program, but in verse 30-31 he says, ‘30] Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
[31] But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

“There’s a better way, Paul says, than going by the sign gift program. What is that way? ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.’

“If I speak with the tongues of men and angels and I don’t see my brother who is offended by my meat, and don’t walk charitably toward him, putting his needs above mine, then I’m just talking.

“You notice how Paul says ‘though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not charity . . . ’? Charity in the Bible is NOT giving to poor people. Charity is going to have to do with the motivation BEHIND the doing. In Verse 4, he’s going to describe what charity looks like.

“Charity isn’t a braggard, it’s not proud, it’s not covetous, doth not behave itself unseemly. It’s patient and suffereth long.

“Boy, you read those things and you think, ‘Wow! That’s quite a mental attitude to have!’

“Paul says ‘charity never faileth.’ So what charity is is a lifestyle that puts the interests of the other ahead of your own interest.”