Pastor Randy Hoskins

​Senior Pastor - First Congregational, Ashland, NE

September 30, 2022

​I'm reading the New Century Version translation of the Bible this year. My verse of the day recently was Proverbs 19:17. "Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord; he will reward you for what you have done." That is such a great word picture. As I talked last Sunday about putting our treasures into an eternal account where moths and rust will not destroy and thieves will not steal them, this so perfectly sums it up. 

​I'm sure most of us have loaned money to a friend or family member and never saw that money back. My buddy was talking about loaning $50 to an annoying ex-brother-in-law. He said he never received the promised repayment, in fact he had never seen or heard from that guy again. My buddy said it was the best $50 he ever spent.

So maybe we don't completely trust our friends or family members that they are ever going to repay us. I don't know about you, but I have absolutely no doubts that anything I lend to the Lord, I will get paid back, most likely with interest. The best part, as I talked about in my message, is this is one of those currency exchanges - taking earthly dollars and converting them into heavenly dollars that will be paid out in eternity.

I want to encourage you to up your efforts in being kind to the poor. Maybe that looks like increased donations towards the food pantry we support. Maybe it's volunteering for a non-profit organization. Maybe it's giving a few extra dollars to the homeless person hanging out in the median outside your favorite big box store. Maybe it's providing childcare for the single parent next door to give them some alone time. Whatever you do, think of it as lending to the Lord, and know that you'll get paid back in eternity.

Pastor Randy
402-450-4447

PASTOR RANDY HOSKINS

After serving as part-time pastor, Pastor Randy was called to full-time ministry in February of 2020.
​He and Velvet now live in Ashland.