I Love... I Give

by R.A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Category: General | Dec 1987

The selection of personnel for secular employment is often in the hands of personnel management, whose prime concern during interviews is to find out what motivates a prospective employee. What is the person's mainspring? Is it money, status, position, security of tenure, love of the employer or love of the job? If motivation figures so highly in secular employment how much more important in spiritual service? Without hesitation we must say, infinitely more.

We have chosen two Old Testament examples which illustrate the motivation which leads to scriptural giving.

1.The Pierced Ear

There are two similar passages dealing with the Hebrew servant whom the Israelite could buy or sell to serve for seven years. The first is in Exodus 21:2-6. Here the instructions are given as part of the judgements set before Israel at Mount Sinai. They concern a man whose master has given him a wife and who has sons and daughters. The servant is bought to serve for six years and in the seventh year he may, if he wishes, "go Out free for nothing" (v.2). He will leave behind him his wife and her children "which shall be her master's" (v.4). "But if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out free" (v.5), then his love would enable him to surrender his life in service for ever. At the door post he would yield to the boring of his ear and before God demonstrate: I love therefore I give; I will not go out free.

The emphasis in this passage is on human love to his master and his own family: his willingness to renounce his freedom flows out of his love for them.

The second passage is in Deuteronomy 15:12-18. The instructions are part of "the statutes and judgements... to do in the land" (12:1) and were given in the plains of Moab. They concern an Hebrew man or woman who is sold to serve for six years and in the seventh year may go free. It is instructive to note the provision to be made from the produce of the land should he or she elect to go Out free. Also the commandment to remember the bondage of Egypt and the redemption from it. There is, however, no mention of the master; but rather the servant, is called "thy brother... sold unto thee" (v.12).

The choice in the seventh year by the servant is not on the grounds of freedom, but of "going out from thee" (v.16). It is the owner who is to let him or her go free (vv.12,18). The choice to stay is confirmed at the door where he or she submits to the thrusting through of the ear thereby demonstrating to his or her owner: I love therefore I give; I will not go out from thee.

The emphasis then in Deuteronomy is on love of a different nature. It is love for thee and love for thine house. Love which motivates a person to say, "I will not go out from thee". Love which says, I will be thy bondservant for ever.

Human love may persuade a man to renounce his freedom for the sake of his master, his wife and his family, and through his pierced ear say, I love therefore I give. How infinitely more precious is that love which is associated with the Master and His house; love for the house of God and the God of the house. Love which leads to the spiritually pierced ears depicting the digged or pierced (RVM) ears of the blessed Son of God who said, "I delight to do Thy will, 0 My God" (Ps. 40:6,8).

What motivates us to do anything for God? The love of wife and family may be strong, but it is love for God and His house which motivates us to say from our hearts, I love Thee, I love Thine house, I will not go out from Thee.

2.The Great Work

We now select an example which focuses on a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14), "who shall do all My will" (Acts 13:22). In his writings, David revealed many of his innermost thoughts. Psalm 26 is an excellent example. His concern for his personal condition of heart before the Lord was matched by his love for God and for His things. "LORD I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth" (v.8). It was not a passing affection, but one which was set from his earliest years to the house of his God. He wanted to build for God and prepared with all his might. His vision from youth was clear as crystal. "The work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God". Can there be any sequence of decisions more pleasing to the Lord than those emanating from David's heart? "I have prepared", "I have set my affection", "I have a treasure of mind own", "I give it" (1 Chron. 29:1-3).

We see therefore how impossible it is for us to separate David's meditations in Psalm 26 from his recorded decisions in 1 Chronicles 29: Lord I love therefore I give.

In conclusion do we not see why David was a man after God's own heart? Out of the greatness of His Being, God so loved the world that He gave (John 3:16). Let us challenge our own hearts in this our day as to the motivation behind our giving. Let us with the same earnestness as the Hebrew servant and David say, I love, therefore I give.

R.A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Dec 1987
General