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“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you!” (Prov. 19:17 NLT)

A few years ago, when my office was located downtown, pan-handlers would sometimes come into my office and ask for a handout. One young fellow was a frequent visitor and always said, “could I please borrow a couple of dollars?” I knew he wasn't actually “borrowing” because he didn't have a job and no ability to repay.

One morning, during my personal Bible study, I read a passage in Proverbs 19:17, that said, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you!”

 You are lending to God!

I thought about what that scripture verse appeared to be saying! “You are ‘lending’ to God when you help the poor, and God will pay you back for it!”

Wow, thatis a huge promise for God to make! Could it actually be true?

Then, as though right on cue, my borrowing friend walked into my office and said, “I really need to borrow five dollars to get a used tire for my car. I will pay you back as soon as I'm able.”

Was this a test? I wondered to myself.

I said, “Okay, I will help you out today, but only if you agree to this one condition; that the five dollars I give you will not be a loan, but will instead be a gift!”

I held out the five dollars and he reached out and took hold of the edge of it, but I did not let go.

He tugged on the bill and said, “No, I promise to pay you back!”

But, I kept a tight grip on the five dollar bill andsaid, “look, you have heard my terms, I'm not letting go until you agree!”

He said, “But why?!” And, he looked genuinely puzzled.

Itold him about the verse of scripture I had just read shortly before he came in. I said I knew he didn't have a job, he was apparently poor, and that he hadn't ever paid me back for any of the other previous “loans” I had given him. I explainedthat I would rather take my chances with God returning my five dollars than on him ever doing so.

So, he finally said, “Okay” and I let go of the money.

I then asked him where he was going to get a five dollar tire and he said he could get it from the local salvage yard nearby. I knew where it was and offered to give him a ride there. On the way I told Him how God could make a big difference in his life as He has done in mine. But, he said he had never personally seen any evidence of God’s existence and wasn't interested.

We arrived at the salvage yard, and on our way into the building, we passed an old friend of mine, Grandpa Gundy, who was on his way out the door. We briefly said hello and he proceeded on to his car. Then suddenly, he turned back around and yelled loudly, “Wait! Wait!” And both my “borrowing friend” and I turned around to see what he was saying to us.

Grandpa came rushing over to us, pulled a five dollar bill out of his pocket, thrust it towards me, and said, “Jesus told me to give this to you!”

I took the money, thanked him for it, and turned to look at my friend who was standing aghast with his mouth open in surprise.

I said, “Wow, that didn't take God long, did it?”

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 ESV)