陶德邀請弟弟住進他蓋的房子裡。當時，陶德的弟弟剛大學畢業，陶德希望能減輕弟弟的經濟負擔，因此讓他免費住一段時間。半年後，陶德開始向弟弟收房租。幾年後，陶德的弟弟準備自己買房子。當房子成交後，陶德給了弟弟一個驚喜。原來這些年來弟弟付的房租，他全都存在銀行裡，如今他將這筆可觀的積蓄全都送給弟弟！陶德的弟弟收到這份豐盛的厚禮時，不禁感動落淚。

上帝透過摩西頒布律法，吩咐以色列民讓那些貧窮的人與他們同住（利未記25章35節）。這條命令是上帝設立「禧年」（10節）的一部分。每逢禧年，債務得以免除，貧困者得幫助，被奴役的人得自由（23-55節）。上帝表明祂曾慈愛地帶領祂的百姓「從埃及地出來，為要把迦南地賜給[他們]，要作[他們]的上帝」（38節）。上帝既為他們預備新的家園，他們也要效法上帝，樂意開放自己的家，以愛心接待人。

到了新約，使徒約翰寫道：「你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛，使我們得稱為上帝的兒女」（約翰一書3章1節）。因著耶穌為我們捨命，我們便可領受上帝豐盛無比的愛（16節）。在上帝的幫助下，我們也能慷慨地將這份愛帶給別人。

Todd invited his younger brother Alex, a recent college graduate, to come live with him in the house he’d built. He wanted to help his sibling gain some financial footing by allowing him to live rent-free for a while. After six months, Todd asked Alex to begin paying rent. Years later, Alex made an offer on his own home. When the offer was accepted, Todd surprised him by telling him that he’d deposited Alex’s rent payments in a savings account over the years and that the substantial sum of money was now his! Alex wept as he received the lavish gift.

In Leviticus 25, God gave Moses commands for the Israelites that included allowing those in need “to live with you” (v. 35 nlt). This command was part of God enacting “a jubilee year” (v. 10 nlt)—when debts were forgiven, those in poverty were helped, and the enslaved were freed (vv. 23-55). He declared that He’d lovingly led His people “out of Egypt to give [them] the land of Canaan and to be [their] God” (v. 38). He’d provided a new homeland, and now they were to imitate Him by showing love and opening their homes to others.

The apostle John would later write, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). By Jesus’ sacrifice we can receive the fullness of that lavish love (v. 16). And as He helps us, we can lavish it on others.