The Lord could carry forward His work without our cooperation. He is not dependent on us for our money, our time, or our labor. But the church is very precious in His sight. It is the case which contains His jewels, the fold which encloses His flock, and He longs to see it without spot or blemish or any such thing. He yearns after it with unspeakable love. This is why He has given us opportunities to work for Him, and He accepts our labors as tokens of our love and loyalty.—Testimonies for the Church 6:261. (WM 18.1) MC VC

That We May Understand the Mercy of God—The poor man as well as the rich man is the object of God’s special care and attention. Take away poverty, and we should have no way of understanding the mercy and love of God, no way of knowing the compassionate and sympathetic heavenly Father.—Letter 83, 1902. (WM 18.2) MC VC

God Gives to Us That We Might Give to Others—God imparts His blessing to us that we may impart to others. When we ask Him for our daily bread He looks into our hearts to see if we will share the same with those more needy than ourselves. When we pray “God be merciful to me a sinner,”(Luke 18:13) He watches to see if we will manifest compassion toward those with whom we associate. This is the evidence of our connection with God, that we are merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful.—Testimonies for the Church 6:283, 284. (WM 18.3) MC VC

Withholding Dwarfs Spiritual Growth—Nothing saps spirituality from the soul more quickly than to enclose it in selfishness and self-caring. Those who indulge self and neglect to care for the souls and bodies of those for whom Christ has given His life, are not eating of the bread of life or drinking of the water of the well of salvation. They are dry and sapless, like a tree that bears no fruit. They are spiritual dwarfs, who consume their means on self; but “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. —The Review and Herald, January 15, 1895. (WM 18.4) MC VC