Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Giving?
Good Morning Friends,
Working around the financially poor who believe in Jesus I have learned that even when their pockets are empty, God’s love keeps his children rich because they have learned to give like Christ. Many of the poor are more filled with the Holy Spirit than most millionaires I know. Today we are instructed through scripture in the art of good stewardship, and the transaction is a little bit different than we might first believe. It is more transformational than expected. Today we receive a lesson in culture building…a lesson in trust…a lesson in love. Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Giving?
Scripture: Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
1 Peter 4:10 (NRSV)
40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:40 (NRSV)
The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (NRSV)
Message: God has given us spiritual gifts, talents and abilities to use in serving others and some of us form ministry teams to deploy them but that alone does not mean that God’s generosity will flow through us. Now more than ever, money alone is insufficient in doing much aside from buying time. The problem is that we all have our roots in Africa and our tribal pride still manifests itself in our world. The devil is at work cleverly dividing us and can sever us from the vine, and we not even know it, until maybe, if we are lucky, we feel the flame of shame burning inside us. Friends control and pride can rob the poor of dignity and can keep us from using our gifts properly. As best I can tell we need to be willing to decrease so that others may increase. We need the grace to desire that others be loved more than ourselves. When people fall on hard times. Church groups typically collect food, clothing and money for those in need. That is all good, but a lot of those resources are less relational than they should be. What I see that drives me to my knees praying is that we would be freed of our fear of humiliation and the desire of approval from others… we would be freed from our addiction to a false prosperity that is just bad religion and ultimately worse politics. Friends if you have money in your wallet you are wealthier than most of the world on the money scale. But the challenge is a spiritual one as well as an economic one. Check out what is in your wallet but also your heart for you reap what you sow and if we are not sowing love we miss the point.
Pray we manage our spiritual gifts well, yielding to God. Pray we operate in the strength and energy that God supplies. Pray we do it all for God’s glory. Pray we work in unity. Pray we be one Body working in harmony. Pray we realize that Jesus was poor. Pray we realize we need to learn to give in our time and talents as well as well as treasures. Pray we learn we are to freely give our special gifts to God, not to a budget, a cause or even an institution in a box. Pray we sow for a harvest that will honor God. Pray we are thankful for the harvest. Pray we give more of those things that help us to remember each other because of the feelings they birth in us. Pray we realize that it is not how much we give but how much love we share in giving. Pray we find purpose and life in lightening another’s burden. Pray we be cheerful givers, greeting each other with a smile. Pray we realize that we find more joy in giving than in getting. Pray we learn that love comes in the giving of blessings and it comes to the giver regardless of the merits of those who receive the gifts. Pray we experience the joy of service…that in giving we receive. Pray we cultivate gracious acceptance of others. Pray we give our self away in a sharing that grows in us. Pray we share words of kindness that encourage confidence. Pray we think kindly as we share in the profound presence of God. Pray we realize that our acts of kindness creates love. Pray we realize that no one ever becomes poor by giving back.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 