A generous person will be blessed, for they share what they have with the poor. ~Proverbs 22:9
Remember the words our Lord said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ~Acts 20:35
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he or she has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. ~1 Peter 4:9-10
One of the comments that I hear so often from those who are volunteering to serve at our Good Neighbor Food Pantry is: “I’m the one blessed.” Here they are, out in the weather, giving of their time, serving those in need and, walking away from the event feeling as though they are the blessed ones. I think that’s the way it is meant to be.
God intended that giving of ourselves would bless us, the givers as well. Jesus knew and understood this. That is why He said that it is “more blessed to give than receive.” He knew that as you give, focused on blessing others, you will receive push back of the positive kind, not only from those to whom you give, but you will receive a smile of blessing as well, from the heavenly Father Himself.
Think of what Jesus Himself gave. He gave His life to receive the blessing of our presence. That’s how much He loves us! He counts it a blessing to spend eternity with us. Added to that, however, as part of God’s approval, Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father Himself. He has been blessed for His giving to us, the recipients of His grace.
There are all kinds of ways to give. Peter tells us: “Each one should use whatever gift he or she has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” It’s not that some ways of serving are better than others. All of our gifts in their various forms were given to us, by God, intending that we would bless others with what we have been given. Some have the gift of hospitality, others administration. Some have the gift of generosity financially while others just have that knack to see a need or be there at the right moment to lend a hand. There is the gift of music and or prayer, and there is the gift of scholarship, the ability to understand well.
All of these gifts are a blessing to others as we share them. Amazingly to, as we share, our gifts will grow in capacity. As we demonstrate our eagerness in our obedience to give of what we have, it will increase. Just as muscles grow in strength through use, so, our gifts will grow as we become even more and more sensitive to knowing that we are being called upon to use them for others.
I hope and pray that our food pantry is just the beginning of our growth in obedience to sharing what we have with others. In a small way, through the pantry, we are beginning to practice hospitality and we are learning to be generous. What will we become? How will we grow even more as we open wide the doors of blessing to others with the other gifts God has blessed us to share? The possibilities are endless as long as we keep saying, “Yes, Lord, use us again!”
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for blessing me with new life in Christ. What an awesome gift! Someone has said, we are blessed to be a blessing. Make me a blessing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Make Me a Blessing
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