Yesterday, Michelle, Matthew and I spent a few hours handing out candy at my office for the Downtown Sandusky Trick-or-Treat. In the course of those two hours we gave away over 200 candy bars.
While I enjoyed seeing the smile on the children's faces and hearing "thank you" as they received their treat, one of the greatest joys of the day was watching my son.
For years, we have taken him trick-or-treating and he has gotten bags full of candy. He was the one saying thank you and receiving treats from generous people. But this time was dfifferent. He was the one giving the treats.
And what I noticed was that he seemed to find more joy in giving the candy than he had shown when he was the one carrying the bag gathering goodies. It was a reminder of something I have seen in many people's lives over the years. Giving brings more joy than receiving.
This is one of the principles of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom built on giving.
When Paul was about to leave after visiting with the elders in Ephesus, a city where he had spent a significant time during his ministry, he spoke these words...
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:32-35 NIV)
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
This wasn't just a catchy slogan for Jesus, or Paul for that matter; it was a way of life. Jesus came into the world, giving up so much to be with us. Paul described it this way: (Jesus), being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV)
But Jesus did not give all of this up simply so we could be blessed. He blessed us so that we in turn could bless others. We are meant to be conduits of God's grace, not recepticals. We are rivers, not ponds.
Think about a pond you might find out in the woods. The water is stale and stationary, filled with green muck and little sign of life. A river is alive, flowing clean water brimming with life.
God has always intended for us to be rivers of grace and mercy. When he first called Abram, God spoke these words to the man who would be the launching point of his plan to redeem Creation...
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3 NIV)
God has always intended for us to give, and that is the richest blessing.
My experience has been that those who only allow themselves to be recepticals of God's grace are the ones whose faith is stale and those who are conduits have a faith that is living and active. The reality is that most, ok all of us, are somewhere in between.
In a society that tells us it is more blessed to receive, me must always remember that the truest blessings, the ones that bring real peace and fulfillment, are found in giving. This is a principle I was reminded of yesterday watching my son smile, laugh, and experience joy as he freely gave away hundreds of candy bars.
shine!
Jason
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