It is said that you reap what you sow. More than than that, the Bible teaches us to give what we work for to the less fortunate.
In the OT, God repeatedly commanded the Israelites:
Leviticus 23:22 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”
Social justice for the poor and marginalized- this is God’s concern. This verse is at the heart of God’s instructions on several appointed festivals in the year (Lev. 23). God wanted them to remember the poor and the strangers in their land amidst their celebrations. In their days, they had the custom during harvest to leave something for the foreigners and the poor to glean (gather, collect) from. Ruth gleaned from the fields of Boaz. Boaz instructed his laborers to leave more for her.
God reminded his people that they were once foreigners in Egypt, poor and needy until God redeemed them from slavery.
Application:
Today, we can do the same to the less fortunate people around us: our maids, drivers, the street children, and street cleaners, etc. At home, before each meal, I take portions of the food on the table to share with our helper even before our family eat. As I spoon food onto their plate/bowl, I remember this verse that God taught; the principle of leaving more to the needy. In our car, we have sky flakes to give to street children.
Share what you have, God says. Leave something for the poor and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God. If our God, mighty Creator and Sustainer of life is concerned for the needy, so should we. Reap what you sow, let others glean from your harvest too.
