THE
GIFT OF GIVING
BREAD
38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed
down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with
the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)
1 “Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before
men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in
heaven. 2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with
trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be
honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand
know what your right hand is doing, 4 so
that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you.” Matthew
6:1-4 (NIV)
24 One
man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to
poverty. 25 A
generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)
6 Remember
this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart
to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all
grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you
need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV)
42 “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these
little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly
not lose his reward.” Matthew
10:42 (NIV)
7 But
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 (NIV)
BUTTER
“God does not prize the size of the gift
rather the giver’s sincerity (not reluctantly), spontaneity (not under
compulsion), and joyful willingness (a cheerful giver).” Bible Knowledge
Commentary
“To sacrifice something is to make it holy by giving it away
for love.”
Frederick Buechner
“Jesus is the great teacher of lowliness of heart. Witness
the Master taking a towel and washing His disciples' feet! Isn't it true to say
that on earth He was always stripping off first one robe of honor and then
another until, naked, He was fastened to the cross and emptied
Himself, pouring out His lifeblood, giving it up for all of us, until they laid
Him penniless in a borrowed grave?” C. H.
Spurgeon
“God
is ever giving to His children, yet hath not the less. His riches are imparted, not impaired.” Thomas Watson
“--Blazingly,
Jesus illustrated this with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). No self-respecting Jew of that time would
speak to a Samaritan. But Jesus, caring
more for the person than the tradition, knew she had an unquenched thirst. He sought her out, found common ground -- and
the rest is history. It’s a model I’m
seeing lived out all around me - people finding common ground, taking risks,
running toward instead of away from threat. Being brave to love and heal and bless -- no
matter the cost to self. Daring to hold back, or to step in to forge a way for
peace, stem a destructive tide, or build a river in a desert. I’m seeing that being salt and light means
engaging our world precisely where we are placed. Wherever we find ourselves,
there, living simply, profoundly, giving our best at all times for Jesus’ sake.
Upfront or behind the scenes, whether
like me you are a helper, or whether you are a leader; a doctor, an executive,
a parent, a principal, a granny or a golfer, it matters not -- only that we are
givers and love at all times.” Paula Kirby
“Measure
thy life by loss and not by gain Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured
forth. For love’s strength standeth in
love’s sacrifice, And he who suffers most has most to give.” Harriet Eleanor Hamilton-King
HEART
SAVOR
- · God loves a cheerful giver.
- · Giving makes me God-like.
- · God is the greatest Giver and His gifts are always the very best even though they sometimes come wrapped in packaging that is not of our choosing.
