「妳怎麼突然哭了？」正在幫助一名婦女的志工問道。在海倫颶風過後，基督教救援機構的志工展開救援行動，盡力協助那些失去家園的災民。那名前一刻還在流淚的婦人說：「我不是因失去一切傷心哭泣，而是因為你們讓我感受到滿滿的愛！」

上帝的心意是要我們去幫助有需要的人。在以色列百姓即將進入應許之地時，摩西叮囑他們，對於困苦貧窮的人「不可硬著心腸，吝嗇地對待他們，反而要按著他們的需要，慷慨借貸給他們」（申命記15章7-8節，新普及譯本）。他們這種關心窮人的態度，是要反映出上帝的心意：「慷慨施與，不要為難。」（15章10節，同上）

無論是在遭遇災難時，或是在日常生活中，只要我們將上帝慷慨賜予我們的祝福，分給那些有需要的人，我們就體現出耶穌的愛。耶穌來到世上，親自「傳福音給貧窮的人」（路加福音4章18節）。事實上，上帝應許「賜福」給那些分享祂無私愛心的人（申命記15章10節），而且今生和來世都會蒙福（參閱路加福音14章14節）。雖然我們還不能見到上帝，但若我們效法耶穌憐憫待人，別人便能從我們身上一窺祂的樣式。今天，願上帝的愛能藉著你我的善行彰顯出來。

“Why are you crying?” The question was asked by a volunteer for a Christian relief ministry helping those whose homes had been destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The woman (who had burst into tears in the previous moment) replied, “I’m not crying because I lost everything. I’m crying because love just showed up.”

God’s heart shows itself in His desire that we help those in need. When Moses gave the people of Israel God’s instructions before they entered the land He’d promised them, he told them, “Do not be hardhearted or tightfisted” toward the poor. “Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). Their hearts toward the poor were to reflect God’s own: “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart” (15:10).

Whether in disastrous situations or everyday life, when we give to those in need out of the blessings God has kindly given us, we make evident the love of His Son, who came “to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). In fact, God promises He “will bless” those who share His unselfishness with others (Deuteronomy 15:10), both in this life and the next (see Luke 14:14). We can’t see God yet, but others may catch a glimpse of Him when we emulate His compassion for them. May His love show up as kindness through us today.