“Share and Share Alike”

[newton3005]

You may have heard the expression ‘Share and share alike.’ I don’t know who first said it or when, but there is a variation of that in the Bible. Specifically, it’s found in First Samuel, Chapter 30. Verses 18-22 describe David and his men coming back from conquering the Amalekites at God’s approval and recovering all that the Amalekites took.

David had gone on similar forays just prior to this last battle, and 200 of his men were too exhausted to go with him to battle the Amalekites. David lets them stay behind and mind the baggage that David and his men have taken with them in their expeditions.

David comes back with spoils, which he offers to share not only among the men who went with him, but also among the 200 who stayed behind. Some of his men who went with him, whom the Bible describes in verse 22 as “wicked and worthless,” say to David that the men who stayed behind with the baggage should not get anything. David says to them in verses 23 and 24 that since the Lord enabled him and his men to conquer the Amalekites and take what they can, it is to be shared not only among the men who went with David, to also with the men who stayed behind.

David continues in Verse 24, “...For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. THEY SHALL SHARE ALIKE.” And in verse 25, David makes it a statute and a rule for Israel to so share from that day forward. And if we are Christ's, are we not heirs to the promise God made to Abraham?

What to be gleamed from Samuel 30:18-25? Perhaps it’s the idea that nothing really belongs to us; it all belongs to God, who decreed in the Old Testament that we should give of our possessions to the poor and needy. Later on, Jesus tells a rich young man to give all his possessions to the poor if he wants eternal life. And in the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus implies that whatever the rich man stored up, he cannot take with him when he passes on.

We may have been fruitful and obtained things, but they don’t belong to us. We may possess things, but they also don’t belong to us. Thus, Acts 20:35 says, “...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 

[SkyWriting]

You may have heard the expression ‘Share and share alike.’ I don’t know who first said it or when, but there is a variation of that in the Bible. Specifically, it’s found in First Samuel, Chapter 30. Verses 18-22 describe David and his men coming back from conquering the Amalekites at God’s approval and recovering all that the Amalekites took.

David had gone on similar forays just prior to this last battle, and 200 of his men were too exhausted to go with him to battle the Amalekites. David lets them stay behind and mind the baggage that David and his men have taken with them in their expeditions.

David comes back with spoils, which he offers to share not only among the men who went with him, but also among the 200 who stayed behind. Some of his men who went with him, whom the Bible describes in verse 22 as “wicked and worthless,” say to David that the men who stayed behind with the baggage should not get anything. David says to them in verses 23 and 24 that since the Lord enabled him and his men to conquer the Amalekites and take what they can, it is to be shared not only among the men who went with David, to also with the men who stayed behind.

David continues in Verse 24, “...For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. THEY SHALL SHARE ALIKE.” And in verse 25, David makes it a statute and a rule for Israel to so share from that day forward. And if we are Christ's, are we not heirs to the promise God made to Abraham?

What to be gleamed from Samuel 30:18-25? Perhaps it’s the idea that nothing really belongs to us; it all belongs to God, who decreed in the Old Testament that we should give of our possessions to the poor and needy. Later on, Jesus tells a rich young man to give all his possessions to the poor if he wants eternal life. And in the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus implies that whatever the rich man stored up, he cannot take with him when he passes on.

We may have been fruitful and obtained things, but they don’t belong to us. We may possess things, but they also don’t belong to us. Thus, Acts 20:35 says, “...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Give unto others, just as you would have them give unto you.
Share and share alike.

This is why I give aluminum scrap chunks to beggars.
It gets them to consider the value of commerce vs begging for cash.