Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
No matter in which country we live there is always someone on the edge of a happy life; someone, somewhere is going to be marginalised. Moses speaks of four groups in this section.
First of all the priests and sometimes it is the church minister who is marginalised by his own congregation, often times living below the average whilst still expected to provide an open house and constant hospitality.
Secondly the alien must be cared for, the foreigner, the person who does not speak the same as ourselves and often has a different way of doing things.
Thirdly the fatherless, the orphan the child without parents, the one who is without a real guide in life.
Last but by no means least the widow is mentioned; who without her husband she would have lost her social position as well as her carer.
These four groups of people were to be supported financially by the offerings that were to be made to God.
The tithe, 10% of an income was needed to be spent looking after the less fortunate.
Even Jesus said the poor you will always have with you and nothing could be truer. Famine, disease, displacement and heart break are the portion in life of so many.
They have no allotment of land or in kind; therefore it does matter that society, namely the church should look after them.
We note that they were to be able to eat and be satisfied. No mere hand out, no queuing up for a bowl of soup.
The God of the Hebrews wanted to give abundantly so that those who received could give generously to the poor and needy.
God was taking care of the neglected in this new land they were to enter.
The blessing of helping others is no less important today.
In a wealthy country there is still the foreigner, the fatherless, the widow and often the preacher to help out. If we have an allotment in life let us be quick and ready to share and help out.