Daily Journal: 20 July

The Most

Matchless Gift-Giver

Do you know someone who loves to give?

I have friends with strong gifts of generosity. One friend loves to pay for random strangers' groceries - usually the elderly. Another friend will give to a need she sees where she knows she can fill that need. Another, loves giving gifts and enjoys considering what she’s giving and the anticipation of giving, as much as watching someone receive her gift.

Everybody can be amazing gift-givers. We don’t all have the same areas of gifting but to give with a heart over-flowing with the desire to treasure someone, is truly the greatest heart for any gift-giver.

Romans 12:6-8 (NLV)

We all have different gifts that God has given to us by His loving-favour. We are to use them. If someone has the gift of preaching the Good News, he should preach. He should use the faith God has given him. If someone has the gift of helping others, then he should help. If someone has the gift of teaching, he should teach. If someone has the gift of speaking words of comfort and help, he should speak. If someone has the gift of sharing what he has, he should give from a willing heart. If someone has the gift of leading other people, he should lead them [diligently]. If someone has the gift of showing kindness to others, he should be happy as he does it.

Whatever our gifts, doing it with all patient attention, all good effort and diligence, all heart and all joy allows the joy of giving to return to us so that we can continue with even more generosity of heart. It’s the most beautiful principle – that of sowing and reaping – that echoes through the bible.

Luke 6:38 (NLT)

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

2 Corinthians 9:6 (TLB)

But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much.

Matthew 25:14-30 – the parable of the three servants. This picture story is about three servants entrusted with different amounts of money by a land owner. When he returns from a long trip away, he rewards them in recognition of how they invested it, and with what motivation. Two of them invested wisely and were rewarded for it. The third didn't bother, and lost his position altogether. It goes deeper than that, as it depicts our relationship with God, so take a moment to read it.

The nature of God toward us as we give from a joyful heart is that our giving would be rewarded and multiplied back to us, because He is the most matchless gift-giver and that is His heart.

No matter what our gift, the giving away of it is always a meaningful pursuit.

Proverbs 11:24 (NLV)

There is one who is free in giving, and yet he grows richer. And there is one who keeps what he should give, but he ends up needing more.

Joy embraces our gift where our giving is freely given. The nature of real giving is to give without thought of anything in return. Because of this heart posture, the giver grows richer.

As you have been reading, have you been thinking of your gifts and the areas you can give? Consider how God might want to use your ability to give generously in the area of your gifting.

I pray we would become matchless gift-givers, giving gladly from the heart, and pursue it with all joy.