Throughout the past year, as I have gotten a job and actually had money, I've learned what a blessing it is to give it away. I've seen that God will provide for every need even if it feels like He's led you to give more than you ought to. I think I've especially seen this through sponsoring a little boy through Compassion International. I began to sponsor him before I had a job, trusting that God would provide for me to provide for him, and He did.
As I have given more of my finances away to those who are less fortunate, I've realized how blessed I truly am. I've become more and more aware of some of my extravagant habits, and even how some of the words I speak are completely inappropriate for one who is truly concerned about providing for "the least of these" in God's kingdom.
One particular phrase that I've found harder and harder to hear as I become more sensitized to the needs of the less fortunate is "I'm starving."
I say: "I haven't eaten in four hours, so I'm starving."
A child in a third world country says: "I haven't eaten in four days, so I'm starving."
As we become more and more like Christ, I think it obviously follows that we become more and more like Him in His speech. I really don't think Jesus walked around on earth commenting on how He was "starving" while He cared for those who truly were. He thanked His Father for what was provided, and didn't worry about it the rest of the time.
For those of us "who [have] been given much, much will be required" (Luke 12:48). I want to encourage you to give some of your money away. It's really hard at first, but I think we as believers have to get rid of the notion that the money we have is ours. It isn't. It's His.
The food we have, or don't have, is His too. Next time you're tempted to say "I'm starving" (and we all know we say it, about ten times a day!), try saying "I'm hungry" or just keep your mouth shut and wait patiently until you can eat. In all likelihood, none of us will ever really be starving. So why say we are? Instead, we should focus on those who really are in need, and ask God for ways we can help them.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Matthew 25:34-40
1 comment:
Very good exhortation!
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