Give a Man a Fish...the Wayfarer
Give a Man a Fish
Luke 11:11-13King James Version (KJV)11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
" Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime."
Faith and works go hand in hand, works illuminating that faith, and giving credence to its veracity, though in no way eliminating the requirement of that faith's existence if the works are effective and acceptable rather than dead in themselves as they enable that which is unacceptable promoting the continuance of unacceptability rather than acceptability to the Father.
The man given a fish, when truly in need, thankfully accepts that fish in full comprehension of the sustenance being provided, accepting also the duration of that sustenance and the necessity of finding the means to continue that sustenance once it is gone.
The man taught to fish remembers the hunger, and is thankful for the continuation of that sustenance beyond the temporary assuasion, the temporary relief given through the gift of a single fish.
The man willing to take a fish, but unwilling to learn to fish is unthankful for either, seeing no need to make provision for himself and remains dependent and unthankful for what could be provided to supply needs, looking only at current want, and his covetousness of what has been gained through the efforts of his beneficiary.
James wrote that faith without works is dead, after commenting on the supply of the NEED of those unable to supply that need.
Once the supply of that need is met, the need of others is seen as well, and the supply of THAT need becomes important to the one having found aid when needed.
Thankfulness extends to others in need of being taught to fish, rather than refusal to be taught.
I know of no one, who at some point in life, has not found themselves in need.
Most of those in need that I have met are far more in need of the charity of being taught rather than simply having the want of the moment provided.
The world magnifies want, translating that want to be need to be filled no matter the cost to the provider of what is perceived as need.
Works toward providing want, rather than need only enable the efforts of those being provided to avoid the personal responsibility that comes with true need.
Works providing for that true need, may be accomplished only when faith is established as well within the ones assisted.
NEED must be seen and comprehended as such, and must be willingly met by those capable of providing for those needs, while WANTS must also be recognized, along with the responsibility of those having those wants to first supply need for themselves, and having the coherent ability to distinguish between the two.
An addict WANTS the next fix, the next high, the next exclusion of reality, ignoring need, and more often than not, continually seeking escape from the responsibility of that need that should take precedence over want.
That addiction includes lifestyle choices that fill only want, rather than acceptance and fulfillment of need.
NEED, TRUE NEED, is the responsibility of both the Haves, and the Have nots, and the requirement to fill those needs are readily assisted by the Father, and should be readily assisted by the believer, if faith is truly extant.
That responsibility, however, begins with the need for faith to BE extant in the ability of the Father to provide those needs, and accept HIS terms for their provision.
Those terms include belief in Him and in Christ Jesus, Whose sacrifice was not to deliver the wants of a world in denial of need, but to deliver the NEED of that world, that exceeded and exceeds the bounds of those wants.
Unless, and, until His message is heard and accepted, the commandment given by Him will not be complied with and want will continue to supplant need.
Both message and commandment are simple, unchangeable, unyielding in nature.
Warning and promise remain as true as when given.
Faith is having heard the warning, and having accepted the promise, and accepting the terms for the fulfillment of that promise.
Works, great structures, philanthropy, and all the accompanying fanfare outside faith, without the concern for the needs of an eternal soul are equally dead as faith that does not include provision for the needs of body and soul that includes "teaching a man to fish".
Deny none in need, enable none merely in want, as the result of that enablement assuages no need when that need is not acknowledged.
We are promised the supply of ALL need. We are also forewarned of the result of pursuing want rather than that need.
The life of leisure promoted by "prosperity gospel" is not what was promised, once the cross has been taken up to follow Christ, nor is the ease of living in a world devoted to that life of leisure promised.
What IS promised is the difficulty to be encountered and the responsibility that comes if that cross is not to be abandoned for the wealth that ends at the grave rather than pursuing the wealth beyond that grave.
Matthew 28:18-20
King James Version (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Never be negligent to give a man to fish:
Never forget to TEACH a man to fish....
Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
" Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime."
Faith and works go hand in hand, works illuminating that faith, and giving credence to its veracity, though in no way eliminating the requirement of that faith's existence if the works are effective and acceptable rather than dead in themselves as they enable that which is unacceptable promoting the continuance of unacceptability rather than acceptability to the Father.
The man given a fish, when truly in need, thankfully accepts that fish in full comprehension of the sustenance being provided, accepting also the duration of that sustenance and the necessity of finding the means to continue that sustenance once it is gone.
The man taught to fish remembers the hunger, and is thankful for the continuation of that sustenance beyond the temporary assuasion, the temporary relief given through the gift of a single fish.
The man willing to take a fish, but unwilling to learn to fish is unthankful for either, seeing no need to make provision for himself and remains dependent and unthankful for what could be provided to supply needs, looking only at current want, and his covetousness of what has been gained through the efforts of his beneficiary.
James wrote that faith without works is dead, after commenting on the supply of the NEED of those unable to supply that need.
Once the supply of that need is met, the need of others is seen as well, and the supply of THAT need becomes important to the one having found aid when needed.
Thankfulness extends to others in need of being taught to fish, rather than refusal to be taught.
I know of no one, who at some point in life, has not found themselves in need.
Most of those in need that I have met are far more in need of the charity of being taught rather than simply having the want of the moment provided.
The world magnifies want, translating that want to be need to be filled no matter the cost to the provider of what is perceived as need.
Works toward providing want, rather than need only enable the efforts of those being provided to avoid the personal responsibility that comes with true need.
Works providing for that true need, may be accomplished only when faith is established as well within the ones assisted.
NEED must be seen and comprehended as such, and must be willingly met by those capable of providing for those needs, while WANTS must also be recognized, along with the responsibility of those having those wants to first supply need for themselves, and having the coherent ability to distinguish between the two.
An addict WANTS the next fix, the next high, the next exclusion of reality, ignoring need, and more often than not, continually seeking escape from the responsibility of that need that should take precedence over want.
That addiction includes lifestyle choices that fill only want, rather than acceptance and fulfillment of need.
NEED, TRUE NEED, is the responsibility of both the Haves, and the Have nots, and the requirement to fill those needs are readily assisted by the Father, and should be readily assisted by the believer, if faith is truly extant.
That responsibility, however, begins with the need for faith to BE extant in the ability of the Father to provide those needs, and accept HIS terms for their provision.
Those terms include belief in Him and in Christ Jesus, Whose sacrifice was not to deliver the wants of a world in denial of need, but to deliver the NEED of that world, that exceeded and exceeds the bounds of those wants.
Unless, and, until His message is heard and accepted, the commandment given by Him will not be complied with and want will continue to supplant need.
Both message and commandment are simple, unchangeable, unyielding in nature.
Warning and promise remain as true as when given.
Faith is having heard the warning, and having accepted the promise, and accepting the terms for the fulfillment of that promise.
Works, great structures, philanthropy, and all the accompanying fanfare outside faith, without the concern for the needs of an eternal soul are equally dead as faith that does not include provision for the needs of body and soul that includes "teaching a man to fish".
Deny none in need, enable none merely in want, as the result of that enablement assuages no need when that need is not acknowledged.
We are promised the supply of ALL need. We are also forewarned of the result of pursuing want rather than that need.
The life of leisure promoted by "prosperity gospel" is not what was promised, once the cross has been taken up to follow Christ, nor is the ease of living in a world devoted to that life of leisure promised.
What IS promised is the difficulty to be encountered and the responsibility that comes if that cross is not to be abandoned for the wealth that ends at the grave rather than pursuing the wealth beyond that grave.
Matthew 28:18-20
King James Version (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Never be negligent to give a man to fish:
Never forget to TEACH a man to fish....
Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer
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