Giving

Giving

This is the essence of the Christian life. It is the opposite of greed and making demands. God gave His Son and all things together with Him. He wanted to share with us and make us happy with His most glorious possession. He did not want to share the earthly glory with us, which passes away, but the glory of the Father and the Son, that inner, incorruptible glory—transformation to divine nature. That is the very source of everything that is good, and it results in an eternal glory. Everything that God gives is eternal. All else will pass away.

The Father and the Son want to unite us in an immovable joy of giving. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38. He shakes the good things into us in order to make room for more good, so that we can share it with the others.

“The righteous gives and does not spare.” Prov. 21:26. “He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.” Prov. 22:9. We read about Jesus: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Ps. 112:9. It is righteous to give; it is unrighteous to hold back. This is the source of blessing as well as the curse.

“God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7. We can read about cheerful and worthy givers in 2 Corinthians 9:8-9. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Ch. 9, vs. 6. He has given us gifts, pounds, and talents so that we can serve and be a blessing. If we lack wisdom, we can pray to God—He who gives liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to us. Then we can serve in the strength which God supplies. 1 Pet. 4:11.

“The leech has two daughters, crying, ‘Give [to me], Give [to me]!’” Prov. 30:15. This is a terrible spirit which manifests all the lusts and desires of the flesh and which leads to death. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Rom. 8:13. “And what do you have that you did not receive?” 1 Cor. 4:7.

Everything we have received from God pertains to life and godliness. We read about the bride that it was granted to her to dress herself in pure and shining white linen, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. They are pure, fine, and unselfish. They are works which God can acknowledge.