In Giving We Get
Good Morning Friends,
A couple of months ago I was praying with an IRS agent. The IRS has been in the news and frankly it has not been all good. So he was sitting visibly alone in the Bible study group and I think had discovered that he was missing something. I gave him an invitation to join me. It took a little courage. Really who but Jesus wants to sit with an IRS agent?
The experience however was instructive. How we think about money and those involved with it is so messed up. But I did learn something counter intuitive. I learned something that defies logic. I learned that In Giving We Get.
Scripture: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.
Luke 6:38 (NRSV)
He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NRSV)
Message: Giving is so much more than about money. It is more about attitude.You see, it takes courage to let go of money. We get a bird’s eye view of it in today’s rather humorous story about Zacchaeus, that Roman IRS agent. Here is a story of a short man up a tree… a searching sinner, a seeking savior and a spectacular salvation. Part of the story is really instructive as well as funny. The humor just helps us to face the truth. Here we learn about a man who spent his life handling money only to discover how empty it all was. This man whose name in Hebrew means, “pure and righteous,” had become lost and needed to rediscover who he really was. Friends, I hope sooner rather than later you will realize that all those things you cling to and claim as yours alone will be taken from you. The only way to keep anything is to give. Here is the point. If you want to change what you are getting it needs to begin with what you are giving. So give eagerly. Give generously. Give courageously. Give hilariously. And when it comes to money, remember God judges what we give by how much we have kept.
Pray we realize that Jesus is the source, means and goal of life. Pray we realize that in sharing God’s love we receive true riches in return. Pray we realize our real treasure is in Jesus. Pray therefor that we give encouragement, affection and compassion. Pray we give a smile of approval but also our time and energy. Pray we realize that in giving to the poor we learn more about Jesus than we can imagine. Pray we not get lost. Pray we give money understanding what it is and what it is not.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 