Be Givers

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

How many times have we heard this in our lives? How many times have we spooken these words when the opportunity was at hand. Mybe someone was caught off guard by a gift that you gave them and you uddered these words to them to settle their heart. Why are these words so important? Paul refers to Jesus' words here in Acts 20 , in reference to the work he did for the Ephesian Church and the Elders. He had stayed with them for quite some time and ow was preparing to leave them. His service to them was at his own hand, not in expectation of anything then to give to them.

As Christians, this should be our heart. This should be the daily focuss of our lives and of our walks. The world is full of the idea that we deserve something for what we do. That we deserve to feel good and to live without care. We are a society based on needs, wants and have to haves. Very little of our lives id geared to the giving. What we can offer others is over looked for a self first you second attitude. There is not any goodness in this, and this draws the Christian from their inherant calling.

We are always so very pleased to see or read about random acts of kindness, about the generosity of somone. These things almost seem to be abnormal and therefore then they become news and something special. But why? Shouldn't that be the norm, for us? We as Christians should have as our normal, these acts of selflessness that should seem normal, not different. We should not have to organize a charitable event and gain support if our hearts were truly on the aspect of giving, they should be happing normally.

We have Operation Christmas Child, Love 146, Save The Children thousands of others that constantly have to work for support. They have to ask so often for help, because the help doesn't just come in. Why is this, if we were truly acting in the Spirit that Paul was and that Christ Jesus was when they gave freely. If we were all doing what we should these groups would not have to ask, that would have.

I briefly looked through the concordance of my Bible at the two main words, give and recieve. What do you think I saw? There are far more occurances in the Gospels of giving then recieving. Jesus came to give everything he had to us, He gave His life. In that act we recieve our path to Salvation. He gave we recieved. We are to follow Him and His example in our lives, in this case to give and to give everything. With that those around us may recieve.

In small group, if you go to get filled by those around you, if you go with nothing to offer, then you are there only to recieve. If you only go to Church to sit and listen, never to participate or lend a volunteering hand in some way then you are only there to recieve. At home, if your wife does everything, if you think she is there only to serve you because you worked hard all day, then you are only recieving. If you only open your wallet at times when you are asked out of some type of guilt, then I will argue that you are looking for relief from the guilt and not to the giving that your doing.

The point of all this is that the your primary purpose, those that are Christians, is to give freely from your abundance. That is your love, your life, your money, your time, your knowledge and your faith. From that giving you should only expect your filling from the Holy Spirit, from God. Like the feeding of the five thousand and ten thousand, trust God to take care of things. Trust Him that there will be enough for everyone and still you will have leftovers. Trust God for that.

So prepare your heart, you that are saved, you that are Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, that you will give freely. That you should not need to be asked to kick in. That you will go to your small group, not expected to get but to give. That your attendance at church should be joined with your active participation at the church. That you look for all the opportunities to give during the day, not just for the things you wish to recieve.

Break out of Satans trap that you are owed anything quickly and easily. That Church is the medicine for what ever ailes you and that it primary purpose is to make you feel good. Give unconditionally to all that you do and you will be blessed, may will also then recieve with abundance.

Lord, may we all shed the heart of the victom, of the needy soul who can not rely on you, who believes that they deserve more then you provide. Lord help us alays see the needs and to help unconditionally. Lord let us head your words and be givers and not always takers.