You asked

what systems or structures make it harder for individuals to 'open their hand wide' to others' needs?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

“If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever his need may be. Beware that there not be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand;” and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you, saying, “You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.””

This passage is part of Moses' farewell address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land. It lays out laws for how they are to live together as a covenant community, particularly concerning the treatment of the poor and the practice of debt release every seven years. It's a foundational text for understanding social justice within ancient Israel.

What specific actions or policies might "open our hand wide" to those in need today, even when societal structures make it difficult?

Then — the setting

Deuteronomy was likely compiled and edited over centuries, with its final form possibly during the time of Josiah's reforms (7th century BCE) or later in the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE). It addresses the newly established nation of Israel, laying down civil, ethical, and religious laws. The command to 'open your hand wide' reflects an agrarian society where debt could easily lead to destitution and even slavery. The 'seventh year' or 'year of release' (Shemitah) was a unique socio-economic institution designed to prevent the permanent accumulation of wealth and poverty, offering a fresh start for debtors and a redistribution of resources every seven years. This passage specifically warns against the temptation to withhold loans as the release year approaches, a very practical and human response to such a system.

Across the Testaments

This passage from the Old Testament sets a foundational ethic of economic justice and care for the poor within the covenant community. It grounds generosity in God's command and blessing, recognizing that poverty will always exist. In the New Testament, Jesus affirms and deepens this teaching, often through parables that highlight radical generosity and compassion (e.g., the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37). While the specific legal mechanisms like the Shemitah are not directly reinstituted, the underlying principle of open-handed love and responsibility for the poor remains central to Christian ethics. New Testament communities, particularly early Christians, practiced voluntary sharing of resources to ensure no one among them was needy (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35), demonstrating a Spirit-empowered commitment to the Deuteronomic ideal.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Leviticus 25:35-37
Explains how to help a brother who has become poor, including not charging interest.
Proverbs 28:27
Connects giving to the poor with having no want, and warns of curses for those who hide their eyes.
Matthew 25:35-40
Jesus identifies himself with the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, linking service to them with serving him.

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