Needy Saints

Whoa re the needy saints? The general understanding is that the needy saints are those who are poor physically or financially ,and this group of people are the "full time serving ones." This used to be my generic perception of the needy saints. 

The last one week I have been dwelling on this matter of the needy saints. Who really are this group of people? This consideration was triggered by an incident of offering. There was an offering transferred to my account and the usage or dispensing of this amount was entirely left to my discernment. But the underlying burden of the offerer was for "needy saints." Initially, I had  arranged this for some saints who according to my concept were needy saints. But upon reconsideration and praying over it again and again, the Lord renewed my thinking and my understanding drastically changed.

Few days ago a brother came to fellowship with us about his family situation including the financial crisis he had been going through. He and his wife are both working saints, and whom I never considered as a needy saint, just because they have jobs. But after the fellowship, the Lord impressed me that He had given be a hard evidence of who the needy saints are. I had no excuse to not consider this family as needy saints. For they are truly in need, and that too very urgent.

Later, as I was praying over the proper dispensing of the offering, the Lord gave me a new understanding. Those who serve the Lord are not needy saints. They serve the Lord who is the Possessor of the heavens and the earth, He is the richest One in the universe. Those who serve Him are all well taken care of by the One whom they serve. So the full time serving ones of the Lord are rich and are not needy saints. They should not be classified as needy saints, otherwise it will be an insult to God. Any genuine servant of the Lord will not lack anything, for the Lord whom they serve is faithful and righteous to take care of all their needs. 

The real needy saints are those who lack faith to trust the Lord and are somehow struggling to make a living. They may even have the best job with the best salary, but without the Lord's blessing that are poor and empty, at least within. Not the serving ones of the Lord.

With this renewed understand, I dispensed the offering. O this was a big lesson for me. 

Lord, increase my faith and trust in You; to trust in You for all my needs, and experience Your bountiful supply of grace.