Lessons from a Giver
Please forgive me for writing so much about the lessons I am learning from this new way of life. Just saying that puts a smile on my face. Honestly, I NEVER thought remarrying was in my future. And, along with it…is lots of content for my blogs! Yay!
I never knew someone NEW in my life could teach me so many much-needed lessons. I’ll tell you about just one of those lessons that I have learned from my Carl. He is a giver. I mean a relentless, passionate, on-purpose, unstoppable GIVER.
Besides the giving he does in church and many organizations, he is a giver at fast-food restaurants when tips aren’t even expected. He is an above and beyond giver at regular restaurants. I watch him desperately looking for someone in whatever place we may be, to give to them. No holds barred. He is a giver. This scripture applies accurately to him.
“Just as you excel in everything– in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us– see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
I have learned that if we are doing things God’s way (and I might add – Carl’s way) giving generously and with the right motivation — then we can expect God to meet our needs.
Here’s the key question: How much do we want God’s blessing in our life? I want all He has for me so I know I must trust Him with everything and choose to follow His commands, no matter what!
If we live God’s way and if we give God’s way, we can expect Him to multiply our seed of generosity: “He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10)
We need to expect God to multiply our seed. Giving is not a debt we owe. It is a seed we sow. And when we let go of what God has already placed in our hand (because He put it there in the first place), God will replace it with much more.
Five times in Scripture, Jesus commands us not to store up wealth on earth but to store it up in heaven. How do we do that? By giving and planting the seeds of generosity.
When we do that, God will use our giving to reap generosity in others. They will see that we trust God in all things, and they will be blessed. That blessing will reap a harvest that God can multiply for His kingdom in ways we could never imagine.
I truly want to be an abundant living, abundant giving disciple of Christ. You too?
“For God loves a cheerful giver….” 2 Corinthians 9:7