“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1
We often think about November and December as the “giving season.” Whether because of national holidays, social tradition or religious observance, the end of the year has come to be a time of reflection for many Americans as to how they will reach out to bless others and support appeals for the poor and needy, the homeless, special charities and ministries during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I believe God is pleased whenever people turn their hearts to consider the poor and reach out to give them aid. In fact, that was Jesus’ first priority in His ministry. He said…
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19a.
Of this, you can be absolutely confident, the acts of giving and showing compassion are always and only prompted by the Spirit of the Lord. The devil will never move you to show compassion or be generous toward the needy or to give blessings to the those who serve as laborers in the ministry of the Word of God. In fact, he will always tempt you to second guess doing those things or try to convince you not to do them, because you have some ulterior motive or your action is selfish and insincere. “You’re just giving to get something,” he often whispers to us.
But he is a liar and the father of it! So, his cynicisms and condemnations fall on deaf ears for the believer in Jesus Christ who understands that God loves, and takes extreme delight in those who give cheerfully from their hearts.
“Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving.” 2Corinthians 9:7 (AMP)
So, as this season of giving unfolds, lean into to it and commune with the Father in how He may want to use you, in an hilarious way, to further His kingdom on the earth through demonstrating His love and compassion for those in need and those who serve.
The greatest Giver is God. The Greatest Gift is His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1
“…give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
The motivator for all giving is Love. God is Love. And He expressed the magnitude and immeasurable breadth, length, depth and height, of His love in that He gave to us our Savior, His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, while we were yet sinners.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:8
So, this is my prayer for you and every believer in Jesus Christ, our Lord
“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
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