Give freely and spontaneously. Don't have a stingy heart. Deut 15.10, The Message.
God's people were to be generous with each other. They were to give freely — without expecting anything in return—and ungrudgingly. Don't have a stingy heart, The Message paraphrases. This admonition is repeated in the New Testament (1 John 3.17), so the Christian community ought to (and does) reflect the Jewish foundation of supporting the poor in their community.
The way to give freely and spontaneously is to cultivate giving in one's heart and life, by being quick to give.
The ESVSB comments here: "This law does not apply to the poor outside Israel. The cause of the fellow Israelite's poverty is not the issue, even if it is the result of squandering or foolishness. The command is internal: you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand. True obedience stems from the heart, and it may be costly to the Israelite in giving what is needed. The verbs open and lend are emphatic. Christians are also to be generous toward one another (cf. 1 John 3:17 )."
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