Living in the Image of God M05S21
The study discusses the message of sharing from Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Apostle Paul to understand that sharing involves sacrificing something to benefit others in need. Sharing means caring for self-interest and the interest of others simultaneously, by recognizing that two or more can benefit from a supply of goods or service, either owned individually or collectively. Consistent with Christ teaching on compassion, a person earns blessing by giving up something to provide for others in need; that is, blessing through sharing by accepting less to accommodate the interest of others. Thus, sharing breeds goodwill because God blesses those that sacrifice something to benefit others in need. Therefore, a person that provides something for people to share has provided them an opportunity to share goodwill. This philosophy of goodwill by sharing is captured by a saying among Ndigbo of Nigeria that he who brings kola brings life. Life comes from sharing kola because of goodwill that comes from each participant accepting less so that others may get a share.
This study seeks better understanding that God associates sharing with sacrifice and compassion. Sharing means caring for self-interest and the interest of others simultaneously and often involves accepting less so that others may get a share, from a supply of goods or service owned collectively or individually.
We discuss God’s message regarding sharing from Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Apostle Paul: to understand that God blesses those that share what they have to benefit the interest of others. Sharing is equivalent to sacrificing something in order to provide for the need of others. Therefore, consistent with Christ teaching on compassion, God blesses those that share what they have to benefit others in need.
Sharing breeds goodwill, because people provide mutual opportunities to earn blessing when they share things. Thus, a person that provides something for people to share has provided them an opportunity to share goodwill. This philosophy of goodwill by sharing is captured by a saying among Ndigbo of Nigeria that he who brings kola brings life. Each participant in sharing kola often accepts less so that others may get a share, which means the participants make mutual sacrifice to extend the benefits to others. Life comes from sharing kola because of goodwill that comes from sharing.
Message of Prophet Isaiah
The message of Prophet Isaiah regarding sharing declares that God expects people that worship him to share their food with the hungry and provide shelter for those in need of shelter, clothing for those in need of clothing, and over all, be sensitive to the needs of others [Isaiah 58:6–7]: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
Message of John the Baptist
John the Baptist provided a similar message when people that came to him to be baptized requested more information regarding his message of repentance. The people asked what they should do to prepare for the Messiah. He responded with a message of sharing, that each person should share what they have with their neighbor in need: “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same” [Luke 3:11].
Message of Apostle Paul
Paul provided a similar message in his letter to Romans and letter to Timothy. He describes sharing as an aspect of love in his letter to Romans and describes the benefits of sharing in his letter to Timothy. He declared that God blesses those that share what they have to benefit others in need.
In his letter to Romans, he declares as follows [Romans 12:9]: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Then he describes one way to show love [Romans 12:13]: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
His letter to Timothy includes a message of banking blessings through compassion: laying up treasure for yourself in heaven through generosity and sharing with those in need [1 Timothy 6:17–19]: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Meaning of Sharing
Sharing means caring for self-interest and the interest of others simultaneously, by recognizing that two or more can benefit from a supply of goods or service, either owned individually or collectively. Sharing means a person willing to sacrifice some of what he or she could get, so that others may get from the same supply. That is, accepting less so that others may get something.
Compassion through Sharing
Compassion through sharing means accepting less so that others may get something. That is, giving up something to benefit others, which amounts to making sacrifice to provide for others. The principle applies the same way, whether sharing from a source owned collectively, like a food buffet; or sharing from a source owned individually, like giving something from personal possession to help others in need. Both types of sharing involve making sacrifice to provide for others, which is an important aspect of compassion. That is, compassion through sharing.
Christ Teaching on Compassion
Based on Christ teaching on compassion, we understand the individual responsibilities in a call to compassion. When God calls your attention to the need of others: recognize the need, care for the needy, commit to doing what you can, and persevere in seeking to alleviate the need. God blesses those that complete responsibilities in a call to compassion. That is, God blesses those that share what they have to benefit others in need. The principle applies the same way to sharing time or sharing materials.
Christ teaches that compassion through sharing pleases God. That is, God is pleased when a person provides for others by giving up some of his or her time or material possession. Also, God is pleased when a person accepts less from a collective supply so that others may get something. Sharing pleases God.
A person earns blessing by sharing what he or she has to benefit others in need [Matthew 25:34–36]: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”
Sharing Breeds Goodwill
People mutually provide for each other when they share, by accepting less to accommodate the interest of others. Each earns blessing through the sharing. This way, sharing breeds goodwill: such as sharing food or drinks, taxi or bus, rooms in a house, public accommodation, copy of a book in a library, or other things.
A person provides opportunity to share goodwill when he or she provides something for people to share. This philosophy of goodwill by sharing is captured by a saying among Ndigbo of Nigeria that he who brings kola brings life. Each participant in sharing kola often accepts less so that others may get a share, which means the participants make mutual sacrifice to extend the benefits to others. Life comes from sharing kola because of goodwill that comes from sharing.
Summary of What We Learned
The study discusses the message of sharing from Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Apostle Paul to understand that sharing involves sacrificing something to benefit others in need. Sharing means caring for self-interest and the interest of others simultaneously, by recognizing that two or more can benefit from a supply of goods or service, either owned individually or collectively.
Consistent with Christ teaching on compassion, a person earns blessing by giving up something to provide for others in need; that is, blessing through sharing by accepting less to accommodate the interest of others. Thus, sharing breeds goodwill because God blesses those that sacrifice something to benefit others in need. Therefore, a person that provides something for people to share has provided them an opportunity to share goodwill. This philosophy of goodwill by sharing is captured by a saying among Ndigbo of Nigeria that he who brings kola brings life. Life comes from sharing kola because of goodwill that comes from each participant accepting less so that others may get a share.