I remember a commercial quite a while ago where the actor was asked for help and he responded: “What’s my motivation? What will it do for me?” In other words, he was more interested in what he could get out of the situation versus how could he help. In Acts 20:35, the Apostle Paul echoed the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who said: “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The Greek word for blessed is multifaceted. It means: supremely fortunate, happier, Part of the nature of being blessed is that it is of the highest good.” So Jesus revealed that is is more blessed, (more fortunate, happier, it is of the highest good) to give than to receive. Consider how happy we are when we give gifts to our children or to a loved one. I don’t know who is happier; the one receiving the gift, or the one who has given the gift? I remember on Christmas Day, I would be so excited to see my children open their gifts. I could hardly contain myself! As the giver, it gave me great joy to give something to my loved ones that I knew was going to make them happy! In actuality, mankind is at his highest joy when he/she is helping others. Part of our DNA is to give to others. God is the greatest giver. He gave us the greatest gift on the cross! Reject this culture of selfishness and become a great giver. Give love, joy, grace, patience, kind words, forgiveness, revelation, affirmation, help among other things. Remember: it is more blessed to give than to receive!
Who actually has more wealth?
Were you aware that there is already much treasure and ample resources in your home? Proverbs 15:6 (NABRE) says: “In the house of the just there are ample resources, but the harvest of the wicked is in peril.” In the (RSV ), it is described this way: “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.” The world only sees treasure as gold, silver, power and fame, yet we constantly see how trouble follows their wealth. However, there are so many other “riches” that they do not understand. The house of the righteous have the riches of His grace, the riches of His love, the riches of His kind and tender mercies, the riches of His Presence, the riches of His wisdom, the riches of His provision, the riches of the inheritance in the saints, the riches of adoption into His family, the riches of His word, the riches of the peace that passes understanding, the riches of the joy of the Lord which is our strength, the riches that belong to princes and princesses since we are children of the King. This is just a quick list. There is so much more treasure and ample resources in the house of the righteous. The world’s riches cannot compare to the unfathomable riches of Christ, which is eternal and unlimited!
