About

The Hesed Fund (estd 2000) exists to help with small-scale financial needs in personal and community crises, education and Bible provision, mostly in West Africa.

Hesed is the word in the Bible that is usually translated ‘faithfulness’ or ‘covenant love’. It describes David’s relationship with Jonathan and, most commonly, God’s attitude towards His people. The concept includes both faithfulness to the terms of an established agreement and generosity beyond those terms (when the other partner has already broken the agreement, for example). Every married person needs to be faithful to his or her partner, but if one’s partner is unfaithful, one will need to show special generosity and forgiveness to restore the marriage. The earliest Bible translation, into Greek, translated hesed sometimes as ‘righteousness’ and sometimes as ‘mercy’.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His hesed endures forever.

(Psalm 136:1)

Sharing our finances with others is a matter of faithfulness—a covenantal obligation on those who have received much from God (through birth into a rich society, or through the use of creative abilities for the generation of wealth which equally come from Him) to also give freely, especially to our brothers and sisters in Christ (Gal 6:10). But when we then start giving and begin to see our own inner reluctance to be truly sacrificial, and beneficiaries’ and partners’ abuse of our faithfulness, then something greater—generosity—is required. The parable of the unmerciful servant has a lot to teach us about these things (Matt 18:21-35).

Freely you have received, freely give.

(Matt 10:8)