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Giving that defeats poverty
Originally appeared on spirituality.com
If someone were poor, desperately poor, would inviting him or her to give away what little they had make them poorer still? Or could something enriching come from it? Could it even end their poverty? As I ponder these questions, I think of accounts I’ve come across in the Bible.
Consider this: the prophet Elijah, who regularly drew on his understanding of God’s power to remedy troubles, came across a widow so poor she was carrying out what she considered her last act. She was gathering kindling for a fire on which she’d cook a last meal for herself and her son. She expected them both to die.
What did Elijah do? He made a request that, at first glance, looks cruel. He asked her to give him bread first.
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