To Give—OR—To Selfishly Keep?!!
Think for a moment of what possessions are most precious to you. Would you give them away to someone else? Would you let them sit buried deep in a basement or storage unit, not willing to share those possessions with others, even when your need for them has fled?
- What is it about what we own that consumes us so much that we pridefully state: That’s Mine?
- Furthermore, why is it that we collect items of value only to hoard them and not share them with the world?
- Finally, who do you know in your circle of acquaintances, friends, and family who desperately need whatever item is hidden away and sitting unused?
To Give OR To Keep?
There is not a question in that previous statement but a conviction.
This world is hard. Adversity exists. People have needs. We who have been blessed with homes to keep us warm, careers to provide food for our tables, and vehicles to carry us where we need to go—are filthy rich! Yes, rich. It’s the filthy part that gets in our way. That collection of things that we think we own can often consume our hearts, but it does not need to be that way. We have received a heart of sharing if we have received adoption as sons and daughters within the family of God. Jesus Christ Himself revealed this selfless GIVING, and we only need to look to Jesus and to the Scriptures to see what the Bible says about sharing what we have with those who have need.
“Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11: 1-3 NASB)
For by it the people of old gained approval.
By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.”
Our daughter and her husband are in a purging and packing mode because where they have called “home” since 2019 will no longer be their home once November 29th comes. As they purge and sell, she has found herself asking the buyer for less capital than what the item may be worth, and when we spoke of her purging and selling of their household items, she said, “Mom, I just don’t feel right pricing it too high. They need it and we don’t.”
Let us pause for a moment and consider what we own.
Let us pause for a moment and consider what we own that we do not really need.
Let us pause for a moment and think of someone we know who needs whatever item we own and do not use.
Why do we hang on to something that we no longer need? Do we fear that we will need the item in the future? Have we ever taken that approach, and then when the day arrives, we buy a “new” item because the one we own has become outdated and we have the funds necessary to purchase the “newest” version of that which we need.
My home is filled with items such as this. Truly, I am not speaking of family heirlooms or sentimental things we have gathered, but of those items sitting somewhere, taking up space, the ones we see and think: ‘I really need to give that away to someone.’
We should.
Yes, we should look around us as this week progresses and see where a need might exist in another’s life. Then we need to become a blessing to that person by sharing what we own. Albert Schweitzer (a German & French theologian) said: “If you own something that you cannot give away, then you don’t own it but it owns you.”
Now there is something we (who believe and follow Jesus) have received that we also need to share. The writer of Hebrews speaks of this within the eleventh chapter, right before he includes a long list, naming the faithful ones who followed the leading of God’s Holy Spirit.
“Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for,
a proof of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11: 1 NASB)
Faith in God is definitely something we have received, something we did not buy, and something we cannot ever repay God for; thus, we can only SHARE our faith with another who has a desperate need to believe and receive Jesus as Savior.
“For by it the people of old gained approval.” (Hebrews 11: 2 NASB)
Faith is necessary because life is so difficult, and as we walk through it, we may struggle with physical, emotional, mental, and relational hardships. Who will we turn to when we struggle? The “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 reminds of WHO—We are to turn to, again and again and again and again . . . to Jesus. Never—were we to walk alone in this world. ALWAYS—were we designed to walk with God. Our Father designed mankind for relationship when He created the first man and walked with him within the garden. It has always been this way, and it will always be this way until the day Jesus Christ returns. Through Jesus, we gain acceptance and the right to be called God’s child. Through Jesus, we gain God’s approval as He now calls us HIS OWN.
By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11: 3 NASB)
By the amazing grace and mercy of Almighty God, we have victory.
By the working of the Holy Spirit, we understand the truth and receive Jesus as our Savior.
By the leading of the Spirit, it is Jesus who grabs us by the hand, & we suddenly “SEE” what we could never “SEE” before we received HIM into our heart.
- By faith, the invisible becomes visible.
- By faith, the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, the Bible becomes MORE THAN A BOOK!
- By faith, God’s Word becomes the living, breathing, leading, life-giving WORD of GOD!
Why would we ever want to hoard this gift?!!
Why would we ever want to bury this precious treasure in the basement part of our heart?!!
Why would we ever not desire to share the amazing grace of God with those we know who have a need to know God?!!
To Give—OR—To Selfishly Keep?!!
This is NOT a question but a conviction!