He said, “Return to your homes with great wealth, a huge number of cattle, and silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a large quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.” Joshua 22:8 HCSB
The nightly news had a story of a lady who owns the Red Barn restaurant in Augusta, Maine. She uses her restaurant to raise money to help other people in need. Once struggling with even paying her bills, she began to sponsor events where the restaurant gave away the food as a way to raise funds for different causes. Since starting to give and help others, her business is booming.
Joshua instructed the warriors to share the spoils of war with their brothers. They had gained great wealth and the tendency would be to hold onto it and keep it for themselves, but Joshua taught them the principle that it is more blessed to give than to receive. In sharing they were following the example God gave to Moses in Numbers 31. The sharing demonstrated their unity and love for their brothers.
Challenge: As Christians we should realize that everything we have belongs to God. We are only stewards of what He has provided. Even our salvation is a result of God giving His Son to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins. Sharing what we have demonstrates our love for God and that we trust Him to provide for our needs. Consider giving to Baptist Global Response, WorldVision, or Samaritan's Purse. Explore what you and your family could do to give back to people in your community. Listen to the story about the Red Barn restaurant at https://theredbarnmaine.org.