Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Proverbs 3:27
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. Deuteronomy 16:17
As we enter a time of year when we are actively seeking opportunities to give to others, I want us to think about why we do so. Do we give during the holidays because of tradition? Do we give because we want to feel more of the holiday spirit? Do we give because we want to model this art for the children in our lives? Do we give so others will make us feel better about ourselves? Or do we just give out of our love for the Lord. I am sure if you reflect on your own life, you will find that sometimes your giving is spirit led and sometimes your giving is more motivated by personal gain even though it may be subtle. In my own spiritual journey, I have found that when I put Proverbs 3:27 and Deuteronomy 16:17 at the forefront of my heart… I give in the right spirit. The Holy Spirit prompts and when I respond… it is such a blessing for me. I love Proverbs 3:27. It is one of my favorite scriptures, and I feel that if this is your daily prayer, God will use you to bless so many people in your life. And for some, it may be the bridge to the Father. I love how this verse ends…. “if it is in your power to do it.” If we take an honest assessment of where we are with our resources, most of us have the power to bless others more often than we do. When Christ lives in our heart, God empowers you through the Holy Spirit to give of yourself with your time, money, and resources that he has blessed you with. What would our neighborhood, schools, workplace, church, world look like if we gave like this not just from Thanksgiving until New Years, but every day of the year? Deuteronomy 16:17 also encourages me that my giving should not be compared to someone else. I give as I am able to the degree that God has blessed me with. When we give, we are living abundantly. As we approach the end of 2017, think about what God has blessed you with, and how you can do good to those around you when you have the power to make such a difference.
Blessings,
Jessica
I wish all American Christians (including myself) would use the power to bless more!
And lets not forget Acts 20:35 – although it is nice when we receive, how much more blessed to give!