They were actually "threadbare and homeless"

Anyone who thinks the bible is boring simply hasn’t read it.  For example, Revelation 3:15-19 tells of a group of Christians who made Jesus sick to his stomach.  Why were they so repulsive?

They were lukewarm.

“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot–far better to be either cold or hot!  You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit.”  Rev 3:15-16  (The Message)

Ever drink any lukewarm milk?  Yuck!  Milk is best, in my opinion, when it is ice cold.  This being said, I know that some people will heat their milk, especially as a late night drink before going to bed.  But room temperature milk would turn my stomach…and probably yours.  Jesus expects his followers to be either hot or cold.  Those who are hot will love him and serve him wholeheartedly; the cold ones, because they know nothing about him, are open to learning.  But anyone who is wishy washy about an encounter with the resurrected Christ makes him want to puke.

How about us?  Is Jesus the center of our lives or is He somewhere on the periphery?    Do we love Jesus more than anything else in this world?  Do our lives show it?

They trusted their wealth.

“You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.”  Rev 3:17

Their wealth wasn’t their downfall, but putting their trust in that wealth was.  These guys were so cocky that they thought they needed nothing from anyone.  Obviously, they were wrong – in heaven’s eyes they were utterly bankrupt: “pitiful blind beggars, threadbare and homeless.”

How about us?  Is our security based on our net worth, our cash flow and our 401k’s?   How secure would we be if we lost it all?

BUT…there is hope.

“Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.  The people I love, I call to account–prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!”  Rev 3:18-19

Jesus made it clear that he never gave up on these believers.  In fact, he loves them so much that he will “prod and correct and guide” them until they change their priorities and place their trust in Him (instead of their wealth).

 How about us?  Do we ever give up hope?  Do we think that we have strayed so far away from God that He gives up on us?

The Good News is that He hasn’t given up on us and He never will — even if our actions make him sick to his stomach.

Readers:  Is it easy or not so easy for you to put your trust in God instead of your wealth?  Do you think you would be richer toward God if you had fewer material possessions? 

Although I am NOT a “name it and claim it” Christian, I believe God is actively at work in my life.  I also believe that Jesus’ words, “… give and it will be given to you” are still applicable today.  Where am I going with this?  I recently experienced an amazing convergence of two seemingly unrelated events:  a mission trip sponsorship request and a negotiation with an advertiser for my blog.  Were they coincidence of providence?  Read on.

First the mission trip request.

A friend recently sent me a letter asking me to consider helping sponsor her for an upcoming inner city mission trip.  As I read the request, I immediately knew that I wanted to help, but (as is my penchant) I procrastinated.  The letter laid on my desk for at least a week, but I always seemed to have something more pressing to do.

Secondly, the advertiser.

My negotiations with a potential advertiser had come to a halt: after my most recent counter offer, I had heard nothing from him…for weeks.  I therefore assumed it was a dead deal.

Now: the event. 

After shuffling the mission request letter on my desk for the nth time, I decided to act on it.  I re-read the request, opened my checkbook, and gave an amount that I felt that I should give.  I stuck the check into the included envelope, stood up, walked to our front hallway, put a stamp on it and posted it in our mailbox.  I then walked back into my office to notice that while I was posting the letter, I had received a new email …from my advertiser…agreeing to my last counter offer, which happened to be ten times the amount I sent for the mission trip.

I immediately knew that this was one of those “God things”.  No, I am not getting weird, but I do believe that God was showing me that He wants to bless me, especially when I bless others.  Do I believe that I discovered a magic formula to untold riches?  Of course not.  Will I expect such amazing timing with future gifts?  Not necessarily.

All I know is this: on that day, at that moment in time, I gave and I received.  It may never happen like that again, but this remarkable event has caused me to realize that, over the years, God has given and given and given to me.  I have a family who loves and respects me in spite of myself, a gracious church family who continually supports and encourages me, and a few close friends who will stick with me through good times and bad.

A few unexpected bucks only punctuates what God has already been doing.

Providence?  Absolutely!  Coincidence?  No way.

Readers:  When unexpected and unorchestrated events occur in your life, do you tend to attribute them to providence or coincidence?

A "Bless Envelope" is great for spontaneous giving.

I write this post as much to myself as to you: I fully realize how money will persistently and insidiously seek to capture a bigger and bigger portion of my heart and my life.  I also know this: drifting through life doesn’t work because I seldom drift closer to God.

Perhaps this is why Jesus declared these two loves to be polar opposites, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

I am convinced that we need to be very intentional about keeping God first and money last.  These nine tips will help:

 1. Have a regular prayer time.

I am not talking about praying over a meal or even talking to God as you drive to work.  These prayers are fine, but loving God means committing your time to Him.  Set aside some time every day just for Him.  He would love for you to do so.

 2. Serve others.

The second greatest commandment (after loving God) is to love others.  Do you serve your family?  Do you serve your co-workers (even your subordinates)?  Do you check on the widow who lives down the street?  Do you volunteer to mentor a single parent child?

Notice that I haven’t said a word about money so far.  Why?  Because the best way to NOT love money is to proactively love God.  As Jesus said, we can’t love both.

Now: some money tips that will help us love God:

 3. Be a giver.

Why do I emphasize giving?  Because doing so is the antidote for loving money.

God is the ultimate giver (He gave his only son).  The more we develop a giver’s heart, the more we become like God and demonstrate our love for him.

 4. Plan to increase your giving for the rest of your life.

This isn’t about tithing, nor is it about legalism; it is about systematically ensuring that we never become complacent.  Some of you struggle to give anything at all while others are stuck at 10%.  Why not set a goal of giving a greater percentage annually for the rest of your life?  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to give 30% or 50% or 70%?  After all, this is about loving God; this is radical and this is about NOT being like everyone else.

 5. Plan to give spontaneously

Budget a set amount to keep on hand to be able to bless others as needs arise.  Jan and I keep a “Bless envelope” on hand packed with cash earmarked to give.  This is a fun, grass roots, way to keep our giving real.

 6. Down size your house

This isn’t, of course, for everyone, but it is a valid consideration if you are hanging onto  that five bedroom house after all of your children have moved out.  If you decide to keep that house, consider letting a college student or a single parent live with you rent free.  I realize “no one” does such things, but that is the point.

 7. Accountability partners

Do you know others who are striving to radically love Jesus?  Meet with them regularly to encourage each other, share ideas and give testimonies of ways that have worked.  Nothing motivates more than hearing from someone else who has actually done what you are considering.

 8. Automate your finances

Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “lead us not into temptation.”  Keeping money easily accessible is, for some, a temptation.  We keep a small buffer balance in our regular checking account, then have every dollar above that buffer amount transferred monthly to a less accessible account.

 9. Set a maximum limit for how much you keep.  Give the rest away.

Change your thinking from how much you give to how much you will keep.  This is not a vow of poverty nor should it be a time for imprudence.  But, unless you set a cap, you will drift to higher and higher standards of living without realizing it.  Is this not what everyone around you does?  Be radical, set that cap, and you will start viewing those pay raises as opportunities to give more.  Again, a plan to love God instead of money.

I hope these few thoughts will motivate you to love money less and love God more.

What other ideas do you have?

How does the phrase “be satisfied with what you have” strike you?  I confess that it bothers me.  I might be a pretty content guy, but the idea of being satisfied with what I have implies that I shouldn’t be hoping for more…a nicer house or a more dependable car or even a fancier cell phone.  Could this satisfaction be an indictment against ambition or a mandate for lethargy?  I wonder.

Yet scripture speaks clearly: “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have.”

Because I believe that God’s word is always true whether I like it or not, I have been digging to better understand the “whys” and “hows” of this command.  Follow along for what I have been learning:

Why we should be satisfied with what we have.

• An Antidote to Loving Money

If you are struggling with this concept, let me ask you another question:  “Do you think it is OK to love money?”  I am guessing most of you are saying, “Of course not!  We should love God and each other…not money!”

Read Hebrews 13:5 again: “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have.”

The problem is this: being content with our current circumstances is directly linked to NOT loving money.  Stated differently, if we are not satisfied with what we have, we evidently have a love for money.  But…the good news is this:  When we develop a satisfied mindset, we are liberated from loving money.  It is the antidote.

• We will learn to trust God.

The full verse reads, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’”

What a promise!  But do we believe it?  Do I believe it?  Am I willing to transfer my love of money to a trust in God?  Great question, and here we are getting to the crux of the issue: being satisfied with what we have requires a deep trust in God.  That is a good thing.

• We will live without fear.

The very next verse in this passage reads, “So we can say with confidence, ‘The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’”

What do we fear?  Losing our jobs?  Not getting that next promotion?  As long we trust in ourselves or in other people, we are perpetually living on the verge of failure and disappointment.  However, if we can learn to trust God, who promises to never fail us or leave us, we have absolutely nothing to fear.

How can we learn to be satisfied with what we have?

Remembering that I am writing this to myself as well as to you, here are some bullet point thoughts:

• Be intentional about living with less instead of wanting more.

• When you accumulate more, give more.

• Be thankful for what you already have instead of resenting what you don’t have.

• Know the difference between needs and wants.

• Be satisfied with God’s sufficiency for your needs.

• Distinguish between temporal and eternal.  All of our money and possession in this life will pass away.  God’s provisions last forever.

You know…this being satisfied with what we have is sounding pretty good to me.  Doing so will break me free from a love of money, help me develop a deeper trust in God and purge fear from my life.

 I am going to go for it.  How about you?

The biblical story (John 6:5-13) of the boy with five loaves and two fish is about more than this boy or even the miracle of feeding five thousand people.   It is about human nature and possibility thinking.   As we prepare to start a New Year, the lessons we learn from Phillip, Andrew, the boy and Jesus will help us learn about ourselves, and hopefully have a 2012 full of new adventures we had never considered possible.

As you read this story, ask yourself if these characters are “impossible” or “possibility” thinkers:

Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”  He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.  Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,   “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.  And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”  So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

Phillip the math nerd.

Phillip summed up the problem and decided the solution.  “Not possible.  I have done the math.  There are too many people and not enough resources.  This just won’t do.”  Consider what must have gone through his mind: “Let’s see…Looks like about 5000 men, so, counting women and children, we would need to feed around 15,000.  Of course we don’t have that much food here, so we will need to get carry out.  As a minimum, we need one piece of bread and one sardine per person.  If there are 20 pieces of bread in a loaf, we would need 750 loaves.  At $2 each that comes out to $1500.  I think there may be 6 sardines in a can, so we would need 2500 cans.  I would guess about $2 a can, or another $5000 for a total of $6500.”

How about you? Do you run all the numbers before trying anything new?  Do you hesitate to stick your toe in the water if you can’t see the end result?  I am like that.

 Andrew the common sense disciple.

Andrew wasn’t interested in the math; his thought process probably went something like this, “By checking around to see what food is already available, I can make a logical assessment of what the situation looks like.”  His survey was less than encouraging: five loaves and two fish.  To his credit, he brought them to Jesus, but his assessment was discouraging, “what are they for so many?”.

How about you?  Do you make conclusions based solely on the evidence at hand?   Does your good common sense ever prevent you from trying something new?  Do you ever think outside the box?  Do you limit what you try to what you have tried before?  Are you the person who says, “I tried that once and it just didn’t work.”?

 The boy who gave what he had.

The boy simply and willingly gave what he had.  He has no preconceived ideas of how his contribution would be of benefit; he simply wanted to help out.

How about you? Even if you don’t understand how the project will work out, do you volunteer to give your best effort anyway?   Are you willing to lay your own ego on the line to try someone else’s idea (especially a boss’s idea) even if you don’t see how it could work?

 Jesus: The boss.

He knew how to solve the problem all along.  He could have done it alone, but he drew the others into the process.  Why?  So they could learn that with God all things are possible.  So they could learn to not limit their thinking.  So they could share in the victory.  He thanked God for the meager portion of food.

How about you?  If you are the boss, do you go out of your way to make sure others share in the victories?  Do you seek their involvement even if you don’t need it?  Are you thankful even when the resources you need for a project don’t materialize?

Concluding thoughts

Because the math didn’t work, Phillip was convinced that the project could not be done.  Andrew was also skeptical because he didn’t see how there could be enough resources to do the project.  But a boy simply offered what he had and, as a result, was part of a miracle.

Readers:  Which character in this story is most like you?  What would need to change for you to become more of a possibility thinker?

With Christmas only two days away, any financial tips are a bit too late in coming.  If you saved up and paid cash for your Christmas, good for you.  On the other hand, if you are already dreading that next credit card statement, that is probably not so good.  Either way, what’s done is done, so let’s move ahead with some wishes.

I wish you the resolve to not repeat the mistakes you made this year.

If you didn’t make any mistakes, skip on to the next wish.  However, if you overspent, created new debt and justified it all by saying, “It’s Christmas!  My family and friends are expecting it!  Everyone does it.”, then I wish for you to experience a revelation:  everyone doesn’t do it.  Your family and friends will somehow survive Christmas 2012 if you spend within your means.  Decide today to do so.

I wish you the wonders of childhood.

Yes, this sounds sappy, but Christmas is a season of wonders.  My wish is that you will squeal with delight over the many lighting displays and that a sparkling icicle or the bite of a frosty morning breath will stir some deep childhood memories.  Go ahead: catch a snowflake on your tongue or make a snow angel.  I wish you the delight of absorbing the thrills and innocence your own children and grandchildren are experiencing this season.

I wish you the true Christmas experience.

In December of 1971, as a soldier in Viet Nam, I wrote these words to my 8 year old sister: “Enjoy all of your presents, but remember the real meaning of Christmas is Jesus because he gave more to earth than any man in history.  OK?”  Why do I know the exact quote?  Because my mom sent that letter to the Mt Vernon Register News, then saved the clipping for me when it was published.  It was my first published writing, but I digress…I wish you the same thing I wished my sister all those years ago.

Here is Wishing You a Merry Christmas!

Everyone thinks about giving during the Christmas season,  but everyone also says, “Why can’t we experience Christmas all year long?“  Is this simply a noble thought, of is it possible for us to actually give throughout the year?    I am a realist — I know that most of us can have the best of intentions, but will not follow through without the means to do so or a plan to follow.

I am wondering, therefore, if we would do a better job of celebrating Christmas all year long if we used God as our model.  Stated differently, what if we could learn to give like He gives?  Doing so must be possible, or else God would not have such high expectations of His children.

“Joe”, you may be thinking, “where do you get off presuming you know God’s ways?”

Good question. There are volumes I don’t know about God, so I will trust His word to show a few of the ways He gives.

God gives sacrificially.

John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” While we cannot fathom the depth of God’s sacrificial gift, we can nevertheless give sacrificially. How? By giving gifts of time: a commodity we all have the same amount of. Consider:

• A homemade gift. Whatever your skill level and whatever the gift, it will take some of your time.

• A service. Whether it be baby sitting for new parents or yard work for a senior citizen, print out a nice coupon for that service. Then, follow up to make sure the recipient actually gets the service you offered.

•   Visit. Do you know a widow or widower who is starved for a conversation or a hug? I know. You don’t have the time. That is the point. We are talking sacrifice.

God personalizes each gift.

Rom 12:6 “In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well….”
This one, for me, is tough. I am not copping out; simply stating that empathy is not my strong suit. My wife, on the other hand, has the ability to look inside other people, perceive what makes them tick, and purchase (or make) the exactly perfect gift that aligns with who that person is. She gives like God gives. I am working on it.

God gives gifts which meet emotional and spiritual needs.

Jud 1:2 “May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.”
So how do we give such gifts? Let me ask:

•   What relationships in your life are strained or broken?

•   Whom do you need to forgive?

• Whom do you need to ask forgiveness from?

The best gift you can give some people in your life is to offer reconciliation. Of course there are no guarantees that your offer will be accepted, but you won’t know until you try. God fully knew that most of us would reject his offer of reconciliation with Him, but He makes it anyway. Give it a try.

God gives out of love.

Rom 5:8 “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
If we are to give God’s way, we need an attitude check. Giving from a sense of obligation or duty is not love. If you can’t muster up love for your recipients, ask God to give you His love for them. He will gladly oblige you.

God gives unexpectedly…and without fanfare.

Psa 68:6 “God places the lonely in families; He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But He makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”

Think outside the box. Consider:

• A $100 tip for your waiter or waitress.

• Giving your second car (or third car) to a single mom who can use it more than you do.

• Offering to pay a struggling student’s tuition costs or book fees.

• Paying the adoption fees for a couple who aspire to adopt.

God gives consistently.

Psa 42:8 “But each day the LORD pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life.”

It is a cliché that we should be generous all year long; not simply at Christmas time. If we give God’s way, we will be intentional about our giving throughout the year.

• Keep a ready “bless fund” by setting aside money each month or each payday for the sole purpose of blessing others. We use a “bless envelope” as part of our envelope system so we can be ready to meet other’s needs as they arise.

In conclusion, I readily admit that this list is far from adequate. God gives in infinite ways that will not fit on this post or in all of the books in this world. Hopefully, the few ways I share here will inspire you to give a bit more like He does.

Readers: What have I left out?  What other ways does God give? 

Moses, by any standard, was a great man — he was instrumental in liberating an entire nation from slavery.  Yet his path toward this success was cluttered with obstacles, the most prominent being the huge wealth at his fingertips by virtue of being an adopted son of the leader of richest nation in the world.

 Moses’ Amazing Choice

Moses, who grew up in Pharaoh’s palace, did the unthinkable: he spurned that inheritance so he could share in the oppression of God’s people.  (Hebrews 11:25).   None of what we know as history — the miraculous plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea and even the 40 years in the wilderness before arriving at the promised land – would have happened has Moses not given up his destiny of Egyptian royalty.

I marvel at this choice.  Moses gave up a sure thing so he could pursue an impossible dream.  As stated in Hebrews 11:26, “He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.”  When we read the story of Moses today, we often fail to consider his struggles with this decision because we know “the end of the story.”  However, all he knew at the time of that decision was that if he turned his back on the treasures of Egypt, he would face certain suffering, misunderstanding and oppression.  Yes, Moses was able to give up those treasures because he was looking ahead to his great reward, but I wonder how clearly he could see that great reward.  At any rate, I admire his spunk.

 Should we give up our wealth?

I am not implying that everyone who is born in to great wealth (on a world standard, most Americans are) should give it up.  However, I am saying that if our wealth is a barrier to the greatness God has called us to, we need to learn from Moses.  Ask yourself:

• Did I choose my career because it is lucrative or because it is where God wants me?
• Do I budget my money based on my wants or God’s plans?
• Do I give sacrificially or simply what I think I can afford?
• Do I get so involved in good causes that I don’t have time for God himself?
• Do I plan my life based on what God wants or what my finances allow?

I realize these are tough questions, and please don’t infer that I think I have my act together.  I don’t, but I am deeply challenged by Moses’ amazing choice.  When I look at his greatness, and consider how easy it would have been for Moses to have lived out a life of ease and plenty, I realize that I don’t want to live the rest of my life wondering what could have been if I had only let God have His way.

Readers: are you inspired by Moses’ amazing choice?  In what ways is his choice relevant to your life?

A Miracle Visitor Shows Up

The Pilgrims’ first winter after arriving at Plymouth was a tragic one – about half of the original 102 adventurers died from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease.  When spring came, the survivors, weakened by illness and malnutrition, experienced an astonishing miracle: a visit from an Abenaki Indian who greeted them in English. Several days later, he returned with Squanto, an English speaking Native American, who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants.

In November, 1621, after their first successful corn harvest, the Pilgrims and their Native American allies celebrated a three day festival together. Many consider this festival as the origin of our modern day Thanksgiving holiday.

But this story is about more than the beginning of an annual holiday.

•  It is about giving.  When Squanto discovered strangers in need, he met those needs.  Squanto’s example should inspire us to likewise help the needy people we encounter.

• It is about resilience.  In spite of losing half of their number that first winter, the Pilgrims persevered. They learned the ways of the new land, adapted to those ways and began to rebound.  When the bottom drops out from our own lives, we need to remember those Pilgrims.  We CAN bounce back.

• It is about miracles.  Governor William Bradford declared that Squanto was “a special instrument sent by God for their good.“  I like to think of it as a miracle.  Could you use an occasional miracle?  I know I could.

• It is about thanksgiving.  In spite of their hardships, the Pilgrims found reasons to be thankful.  We would do well to seek reasons for thankfulness instead of dwelling on our disappointments.

If we can develop such a thankful spirit, our lives and the lives we encounter will be better for it.

I wish each of you a great Thanksgiving!

In my 40 plus years as a Christian, I have observed that most discussions of spiritual gifts tend to focus on the more sensational gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10: gifts such as working miracles, tongues, prophecy, special knowledge and healing.  However, I have rarely heard believers dig into the more ordinary gifts of service, encouragement, giving, kindness and leadership described Romans 12: 6-8.  I wonder why.  Could it be that we prefer being zapped with some supernatural manifestation of God’s spirit to simply doing what we already know we should be doing?  Are we more intrigued by a spiritual experience than we are in serving others?  Is it all about us?  I wonder.

Because we overlook the Romans gift list, and because God is a generous gift giver, it is quite likely that many of us have spiritual gifts that we do not acknowledge.  Think about it: servers are faithful and loyal; encouragers know how to motivate others; givers are generous and trusting;  leaders are good organizers and managers; and those who show kindness are caring people who are happy to give their time to others.  If any of these attributes describe you, it is time to recognize that your Heavenly Father has singled you out and bestowed the accompanying gift on you.  By doing so, we not only take focus off of ourselves, but we reflect it to God, the giver of all gifts.  Therefore, if you are generous and trusting, you can be sure that you have been given the gift of giving.

 ”But…is it possible to have the gift of giving even if I don’t feel generous and trusting?”

I believe it is.  For most of my life, I have not been a big spender (some call me “tight”).  During my working years, I always carried a lunch from home instead of blowing money at a restaurant.   Even now, I order water with a meal because I cringe at the thought of paying $1.75 for a glass of tea.  You get the idea.  This frugality has helped me be a decent money manager, but that same trait has, without me realizing it, prevented me from being as generous as I could be or should be.  However, in recent years, something has been changing inside me — something that can’t be explained apart from God’s sovereignty: I have been feeling more generous.  Furthermore, when I act on that feeling of generosity, I find that I feel even more generous, which brings on even more giving and results in a deep inner peace and contentment.

Does all this mean I have the gift of giving?  It certainly seems to. God isn’t limited to giving us gifts when we are young.  If He decides to give an old guy like me a gift, I am not going to fight it.  Yes, I wish I would have been more giving in my younger days, but that didn’t happen and I can’t turn back time.  However, I am at a time in my life when I am enthused about the giving opportunities He is providing me with.  I am excited, as I enter my sunset years, to see how the Lord stretches me to be a better and better giver.

 How about you?

All of us, of course, are called by God to be givers.  However, not all of us are specially gifted by God to be extraordinary givers.  I do not write this to guilt you into a mold you don’t fit.  However, I challenge you to keep your options open.  The gift of giving could be lying dormant within you.  Or, whatever your age, God may choose to bestow this gift on you.

 The greatest gift

In my opinion, giving is the greatest spiritual gift any of us could ever have.  Why?  Because God himself is a giver…He gave the world His only son.  By giving us a gift of giving, He is making us more and more like Himself.

 What could be better than that?