“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
I’m sure that you have heard the above verse before; either your parents or grandparents shared it with you sometime when you were growing up. Hopefully, the older we get the more we understand what Jesus meant in this passage; giving makes you happy. Do you want to be known as a joyful person? I don’t mean someone who is always slappy, happy 24/7; that’s just not possible on this side of Heaven. I mean someone who has the joy of the Lord, whose hope is not shaken by life’s ups and downs. A joyful person sees God at work, even in their challenges. I’ve always liked this verse because it’s so honest in our sinful world. Does Jesus say there’s no happiness in receiving? No. There is happiness in receiving. But Jesus says there’s more happiness in giving; and there certainly is.
That’s the exact opposite of the way the world thinks. Most of our world thinks there’s more happiness in getting…from the government recently. The more you get, the happier you’ll be. But thankfully, Jesus doesn’t think like the world or the majority of our government. He knows you are most like him when you are giving, and that giving produces an abundant amount of joy in your life; it feels good to give.
God wants us as individuals to be more generous, because it makes us more like him. He uses our giving to bless others here in our hometown, country and abroad…perhaps a Christian school in Haiti. Do you want your family to be more joyful? Then be more generous as a family; sponsor a school. Do you want to be a more joyful person? Then be more generous as a person.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay