Love Gives!

 

The day before Valentine's Day, while I was in the checkout line at a local grocery story, I watched an elderly man pick up and examine several bouquets before choosing one of assorted kinds and colors of cut flowers wrapped in red floral paper. How sweet! I thought. He's still buying flowers for a woman he loves (wife, significant other, daughter, granddaughter???). He was smiling as he hobbled out of the store, bouquet in hand.

His actions reminded me of this quote by Amy Carmichael (1867-1951), who was a missionary in India for over 55 years: 

The Joy of Giving

While reading Debora M. Coty's wonderful book, Too Loved to Be Lost, I came across an insight that caused me to look with fresh eyes on the matter of giving. For a long time I've believed this truth expressed in Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (NKJV). I've also learned, as she points out, that givers are richer for having given.

What I had not really thought about was this: Whenever we give, we are acting as God's representatives--His helpers--in meeting the needs of others. Wow! No wonder we feel such joy. And that joy is there even when we think we've given or done very little. It's there because we've expressed God's lovingkindness to another person. And that joy of having been enabled and entrusted to bless another person lingers long after the giving has taken place.

My Best

My journal entry for December 29, 2018, reveals an ongoing struggle I have in regard to writing. I know God called me to write, and I do write almost every day. Yet, because I fear that my writing isn’t as good as the writing others do, I rarely post and/or submit my work.   

After I’d confessed my sin of disobedience and cried out to God for help, He answered in an immediate and surprising way. Here’s how:

When my husband, who had no knowledge of what I’d written in my journal while we'd sat together in the sunroom, asked Google Home to play Christmas carols, the first one up was “The Little Drummer Boy.”

“Turn it up! Turn it up!”

“Why?”

“I need to hear every word,” I replied.

I listened, wide-eyed with wonder, because I realized God was speaking to me through the words written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. Her song is about a fictional lad who’d been invited to see the Christ-child. As he noticed the fine gifts others were bringing the Baby, the boy also wanted to give the King a gift but felt he had nothing that was good enough.

In a flash of inspiration, he asked, “Shall I play for you?”

Mary nodded.

The lad played his best for Him.

The Baby smiled at the little drummer.

Happy tears filled my eyes as I realized that Christ continues to delight in even little gifts gladly given to Him by those who love Him. I am now resolved to give Him my best, even though my best is not as impressive as the best of others, for I understand that He happily accepts whatever I am able to offer Him. 

To listen to the entire song, click here.

Give What You Can

When a friend suddenly faced a situation that deprived her of much of her regular income, I wanted to do something to ease her financial worries. When I handed her a check, her eyes filled with tears. "I can't let you do this!"

I replied, "Yes, you can! God prompted me to give it to you. He knows your need. He wants you to have it, and so do I."

Now I can't go around handing checks to everyone with a significant financial need, but I do what I can for those God strongly impresses me to assist. Help doesn't always involve money. Sometimes it's the gift of time that some folks need. Sometimes it's help with a household task. Sometimes it's a phone call. Sometimes it's a listening ear. Sometimes it's food or a ride to the store. Sometimes it's the lending of a book. Sometimes it's a note of encouragement.

May you and I have an open hand when it comes to sharing with others the blessings we have received from our loving Heavenly Father. May we yield every part of our lives to Him. 

An example of that is found in the old hymn, Take My Life, and Let It Be. In it, Frances R. Havergal beautifully expresses her heartfelt commitment of all of her life to God, including her feet, her voice, her hands, her will, her heart, and even her money.

Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold;

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

To listen to the entire song she wrote in 1841, please click here: https://youtu.be/0FBvoRwNyB0

Giving and Getting

A Love Like His

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love is like that.

~Ephesians 5:1-2, The Message

Honor the LORD

Honor the LORD with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Gathering or Scattering?

Add caption

As my husband and I were leaving a Sam's Club store, I happened to look up at a quote near the top of the wall between the entrance door and the exit door. I'm glad I took time to snap a quick picture of it with my cell phone, for the quote compels me to take a close look at my life and ask, "Am I as eager to give as I am to receive?"

Mrs. Walton's quote also reminds me of these words spoken centuries ago by the Apostle Paul as he was saying goodbye to Christians in Ephesus: "...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (Acts 20:35).