Luke 6:38 NIV – ‘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.’
Giving is a universal concept. Everyone has something, and the notion of giving as a selfless act puts pressure on each of us. Money is often used as a means of trade, but food, opportunities, second chances, etc., can all be used in a similar manner. But how deep does giving selflessly go?
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him, who love Him, must do so in a spiritual and honest way. Everything that matters in life is spiritual before it is physical. Love starts as a choice, before it manifests in gifts, or dates, or sharing. Wealth, starts with choices that eventually manifest into physical possessions. The same goes for giving.
When God commands us to give, He is telling us to offer ourselves! Not our money, not our car, or what we even perceive to be our love. OURSELVES! Not only to Him, but to other people. The greatest thing you can offer a person is yourself. It is also the most difficult thing to offer because it prevents us from hiding behind the surface level personas we aim to portray. Offering yourself forces you to contend with your motives and the things in your heart that people can’t see. Offering yourself is the difference between giving someone money on the street and offering them your home as a place to sleep. Offering yourself is the difference between giving God your 10% tithe and using all of your money the way He wants you to use it. It’s the difference between Cain and Abel in the bible (read about it in Genesis 4!). Many do not discover the blessing of giving because they only think of it as external. As long as giving remains something that you do with your hands and not your heart, the true reward that comes with giving your all will escape you.
So, today, don’t worry about giving any one particular thing. Focus on giving the best of yourself to God, and the people He brings across your path. In turn, you will see the goodness of God, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER: Lord help me to offer myself wholly not holding back anything, counting all other things as a loss. Pour into me the abundance of your love so that I have more to give to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.