"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Luke 6:38
All Christians know that giving is an essential part of being a Christian. Whether we give our time, share our talent, or donate our money, our faith propels us to understand that, as we give, we will receive showers of blessings and replenishments tenfold. Not necessarily monetarily, but in the form of the blessings that we actually need.
The act of giving, in and of itself, generates its own reward, both to the donor and the recipient. It is an act that somehow connects unknown people, one to another, in gratitude and love. The reward to donors is the understanding that God has already blessed us so abundantly, we have a virtual pool of resources we can offer others.
...The acceptance of the gift also has its own reward. The reward to the recipients is the opening of our heart and mind in understanding that although we may "feel" depleted and alone, the fact is, we are not. It comes with an awareness that there are people unbeknownst to us who care about our wellbeing, simply because, they have been granted the gift of caring for others.
And to be certain, caring for and about others is a gift. -It allows us the opportunity to see our own posterity and frailties. Like Charles Dickens’ classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge; the more he held on to the things he should have shared, the more miserable he became. When he began to release the resources he was blessed with, his love, character, and quality of life expanded. The lesson he learned is exactly the same for the rest of us today.
When you are a Christian you develop a larger, more profound understanding of giving. We do not give to be replenished or blessed by God; we give because we are already replenished and blessed by God.
If for some reason you are not certain that giving is its own reward, try doing it today and see what happens. L.
Study Reference: Luke 6:38
Excerpt from: "A Good Measure." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: whitesource
RSS Feed
