Deeper Reflection
HOW MUCH WAS TWO DENARII? IT WAS PROBABLY WORTH two days’ wages for a skilled labourer. In today’s context, that is around US$200. It was not small change. That was in addition to the fact that the Samaritan used some of his own oil and wine to treat the injured man’s wounds, and undertook to pay the innkeeper’s further expenses. Overall, it cost him substantively. And it should cost us substantively too when we give to the needy. In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis wrote: “Charity − giving to the poor − is an essential part of Christian morality…I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditures on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc. is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.” May these words challenge us deeply!But there is a second part to the matter of giving: God does not shortchange us. As we obey and give, God provides. He truly is the Lord who will provide (Gen 22:14).⁴⁰ A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” When we know that God is our Provider, we are emboldened to give.

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⁴⁰ Transliterated Yahweh-Yireh from Hebrew; traditionally, Jehovah-Jireh, in earlier English Bible translations.