Rembrandt. Beggar seated on a bank, 1630. Etching

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Give to the man who begs from you.
Do not turn your back on the borrower.
~~Matthew 5:42

I read this in the early hours before working at the hospital this morning and it came to my mind off and on all day -- since it is found in my "red letters" in the Book of Matthew in my bible, I know that Jesus said it and I am wondering what He could possibly have meant by it.

What do you think He meant by it?

Give to the man who begs from me.....that could be any one of the street people I have passed in my life, any number of people who have approached me for "a dollar." Give to the man who begs from me? How often have I said "Sorry, I don't have anything," all the while knowing I have a clean $20 in my wallet "just in case?" or when I felt it wasn't necessary to empty my change because I was in a hurry?

Was it Jesus in disguise asking for me to help?

Did He really mean it?

Do not turn your back on the borrower. Could that be the person I walked by and pretended not to hear while I was hurrying to my place of ( insert your place of whatever here ) -- Jesus didn't really mean we had to stop and place something in the coffers...did He? How could He? Is this another one of those Words that was only meant for "the time and the audience," or does it pertain to me now? Here and now?

Should we pick apart what He has said in Scripture, or reflect on how 50 different translations spin it or should we simply live out the Scriptures as Jesus would have it?

How would it affect your life, if at all?

Is it not time to take the Word of God seriously?