I wish that I could say that I live as generously as I should. I remember being at Bible study and we were talking about someone who had $2M. I don’t actually remember the exact number, and someone said, they should give away 90% and keep 10%, and immediately I remember thinking people in most of the world could say the same about what we make here. 10% may seem like a lot ‘to return to God what is His’ but sometimes I will admit, I’m a little stingy.
And I remember asking a friend who was Christian why he switched to Muslim. Now, I wasn’t judging, but I just wanted to know. He said that he had witnessed many muslims that would give you the shirt off their back (literally) if you needed it or their last plate of food (and I believe he had witnessed it) because they know that God will provide. He wanted that.
I read in the book ‘Compelled to Love’ about how they barely had enough to feed 10, yet, they took the pot, gave generous portions, and God made Fishes and Loaves to feed 100s.
That seems miraculous.
It is.
What if we just gave generously not wondering about us. Just thinking… knowing really… God is a God of provision.
Makes me think. Makes me realize how sometimes I do really well about generously giving what doesn’t belong to me anyway, and sometimes, I hang on with both hands. Typically when I let go of things or even my time, generously, God seems to replace it ten-fold. And then as soon as I give that away, more just happens to ‘plop’ back in my wallet, sometimes faster than I can let go (twice I gave and thought, oh well, it’s only money, God will provide and on TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS there was a check in an envelope that I didn’t even know was there!
Yesterday I invited a family to come stay with us because they had two small children and no air conditioning. I think they might have thought I was a little nuts (which I think sometimes I am!) but I would hope that someone would do that for us. But I am not always so generous with the home that God has provided.
I want to always give! Give until it hurts.
I think of the quote by Mother Teresa “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
I want to give so that all there is left is love.
Deut 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
And I remember asking a friend who was Christian why he switched to Muslim. Now, I wasn’t judging, but I just wanted to know. He said that he had witnessed many muslims that would give you the shirt off their back (literally) if you needed it or their last plate of food (and I believe he had witnessed it) because they know that God will provide. He wanted that.
I read in the book ‘Compelled to Love’ about how they barely had enough to feed 10, yet, they took the pot, gave generous portions, and God made Fishes and Loaves to feed 100s.
That seems miraculous.
It is.
What if we just gave generously not wondering about us. Just thinking… knowing really… God is a God of provision.
Makes me think. Makes me realize how sometimes I do really well about generously giving what doesn’t belong to me anyway, and sometimes, I hang on with both hands. Typically when I let go of things or even my time, generously, God seems to replace it ten-fold. And then as soon as I give that away, more just happens to ‘plop’ back in my wallet, sometimes faster than I can let go (twice I gave and thought, oh well, it’s only money, God will provide and on TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS there was a check in an envelope that I didn’t even know was there!
Yesterday I invited a family to come stay with us because they had two small children and no air conditioning. I think they might have thought I was a little nuts (which I think sometimes I am!) but I would hope that someone would do that for us. But I am not always so generous with the home that God has provided.
I want to always give! Give until it hurts.
I think of the quote by Mother Teresa “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
I want to give so that all there is left is love.
Deut 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
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