In Old Testament days, God gave the Jews a rule: “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts.”(Deuteronomy 15:1) Think about what that would mean today. Every seventh year your financial slate would be wiped clean; anything you owed to anyone would be forgiven. It would be wonderful on the receiving end but the giving end was a toughie.

The Lord was aware of that. He warned the people not to stop lending or giving near the seventh year as a ploy to get out of the command of forgiving the debt. He encouraged them to “freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.” (Verse 8)

What was God hoping to accomplish with this rule? Probably many things but I think one of them was to give an understanding of grace. Grace is unmerited favor. No one really deserved to have all their debt wiped out every seven years so when it happened it humbled the recipient and produced gratitude. It was a reminder that God continuously forgives our debt and foreshadowed the cross where Jesus would pay the full price for our sins.

The giver got something too. They got a chance to be like God: generous. He freely gives and wants us to do the same. But you can’t ever really out-give Him so the Lord piled blessings on top of those on the giving side. “For this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.” (Verse 10) Not such a bad deal after all.

Are there any debts you could forgive? Take your opportunity. Is there a chance to be generous right now? Go for it! Doing so is smart on your part and will open to you God’s floodgate of blessings.