What is it you value in life? In essence, what is your last rolo? Your hard earned cash? Your precious time? Knowledge? Wisdom? Friendship? Love?
For many of us the thing we value most is whatever we have least of. When we have very little it can be very hard to give it away, but if like the poor woman in Mark 12:41-44, our love is so great that we give all we have, then it will be a very great blessing.
“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
For many of us the thing we value most is whatever we have least of. When we have very little it can be very hard to give it away, but if like the poor woman in Mark 12:41-44, our love is so great that we give all we have, then it will be a very great blessing.
“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
However, if you find yourself giving your time or your money in a resentful manner then better to withdraw for it will bring no fruit nor joy to anyone.
God's Word says "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
When we talk about giving it is natural to automatically think of money, charitable donations, financial blessings, sponsorship and tithing. However, to some people time is an even more valuable commodity. In fact, in days gone by when I was in more advantageous financial circumstances I would pay any amount of money just to get out of doing what I would consider "time wasting" activities.
My favourite phrase was "time is money and my time is worth more than most people's money". Back then I didn't really have time for anyone, I hated small talk and the idea of sitting and chatting with friends was positively alien to me. I wanted to spend my time only in leisure and adrenalin pursuits such as competition sailing, endurance horse racing and show jumping. I hate to admit it now but most conversation was goal orientated and driven by self promotion and ambition.
On the other hand I was much freer with my money than I was with my time, but that was not so much out of a genuine desire to be generous but more because I wanted to show I was kind hearted. The truth was that I didn't really value money. Although we hadn't grown up in a wealthy household, my adult life had been one of prosperity and I had never had to worry about money at all so I fostered an easy come, easy go sort of attitude. This was actually a form of rebellion against my upbringing of "look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves".
I would give money and never expect anything in return just because it made me feel better about myself as a person. However, the tables suddenly turned on my financial situation and I lost everything I had ever earned. From that day on I began to resent parting with any money at all. Just as I had resented giving my time, I now felt a bitter resentment every time I had to hand over any of my hard earned cash.
I had lost my marriage, my business, my life savings and I now had a son to support as well. The next few years were challenging to say the least. I certainly had to adjust my spending which also spurred resentment. I started looking back on all the money that I had frittered away on causes, people, pursuits and whatever else had come to mind. Even today if I don't surrender it to God on a daily basis I feel bitterness creeping back in.
Sometimes you don't even realise that you are still harbouring resentment. A while ago someone who is close to me pointed out that any money given begrudgingly doesn't carry a blessing. Hence, the scripture quoted at the opening "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
Since coming to Christ my attitude towards people has totally changed. I now love to meet with people and will make every effort to give others the benefit of my time. God has brought so many wonderful people into my life who have really taught me the beauty of friendship and love. I make every effort to meet with and get to know new people from every sphere of life in the hope that I can show the love of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me.
Without noticing it seemed that my priorities had switched. Whereas before I would give away money without a second thought, but would begrudge even five minutes of my time, I now find myself in the reverse situation. I no longer consider my time my own, I gave of myself freely and without any resentment to whoever came across my path, whereas financially I had unwittingly become resentful about parting with my hard earned cash.
Thanks to the honesty of a very close friend, I immediately redressed the balance and asked that God bless every penny, every pound, every fils and every dinar that passes from my hand into the hands of another. In fact as is my usual trait, I went from one extreme to the other. I now found myself wanting to give and give but had not the means to do so. It's amazing how God is able to change our hearts.
I love the verse in Proverbs 11:24 "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
Certainly when you give your time freely to others you gain friendships and become rich in loving relationships. I also have an amazing testimony of how the Holy Spirit convicted me about tithing with incredible results which I wrote about in a previous blog "Giving is always good - don't you agree?"
I now place equal value on everything God has given to me. If someone is in need of time, love, friendship, money, or anything else that I can offer, then I'm there. And God has a habit of putting me in some pretty interesting and often challenging situations which I certainly would have run a mile from a few months ago.
God asks us to see everyone as He sees them; as His children; sons and daughters of the King of Kings. So if put like that then how could we not give our real or metaphoric last rolo to someone whom God loves just as He loves us, and just as He loves His only begotten son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Father God,
You knew us before we were born, you called us by name, you know every hair on our heads. You gave us all we have and you knit us together in our mother's womb.
Help us to understand the love you have for us is the same as the love you have for Jesus; the same love that is inside us because we are made in your image. Send your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts to overflowing with your love so that it will spill over into the hearts of everyone whom our lives touch. Send us out to be your ambassadors in the world. Ambassadors of your love, your peace and your joy.
Help us to be cheerful givers and to listen to your voice as to how and when we are to give and to always be obedient to your Holy Spirit.
I ask in Jesus name,
Amen.
Sometimes you don't even realise that you are still harbouring resentment. A while ago someone who is close to me pointed out that any money given begrudgingly doesn't carry a blessing. Hence, the scripture quoted at the opening "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
Since coming to Christ my attitude towards people has totally changed. I now love to meet with people and will make every effort to give others the benefit of my time. God has brought so many wonderful people into my life who have really taught me the beauty of friendship and love. I make every effort to meet with and get to know new people from every sphere of life in the hope that I can show the love of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me.
Without noticing it seemed that my priorities had switched. Whereas before I would give away money without a second thought, but would begrudge even five minutes of my time, I now find myself in the reverse situation. I no longer consider my time my own, I gave of myself freely and without any resentment to whoever came across my path, whereas financially I had unwittingly become resentful about parting with my hard earned cash.
Thanks to the honesty of a very close friend, I immediately redressed the balance and asked that God bless every penny, every pound, every fils and every dinar that passes from my hand into the hands of another. In fact as is my usual trait, I went from one extreme to the other. I now found myself wanting to give and give but had not the means to do so. It's amazing how God is able to change our hearts.
I love the verse in Proverbs 11:24 "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
Certainly when you give your time freely to others you gain friendships and become rich in loving relationships. I also have an amazing testimony of how the Holy Spirit convicted me about tithing with incredible results which I wrote about in a previous blog "Giving is always good - don't you agree?"
I now place equal value on everything God has given to me. If someone is in need of time, love, friendship, money, or anything else that I can offer, then I'm there. And God has a habit of putting me in some pretty interesting and often challenging situations which I certainly would have run a mile from a few months ago.
God asks us to see everyone as He sees them; as His children; sons and daughters of the King of Kings. So if put like that then how could we not give our real or metaphoric last rolo to someone whom God loves just as He loves us, and just as He loves His only begotten son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Father God,
You knew us before we were born, you called us by name, you know every hair on our heads. You gave us all we have and you knit us together in our mother's womb.
Help us to understand the love you have for us is the same as the love you have for Jesus; the same love that is inside us because we are made in your image. Send your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts to overflowing with your love so that it will spill over into the hearts of everyone whom our lives touch. Send us out to be your ambassadors in the world. Ambassadors of your love, your peace and your joy.
Help us to be cheerful givers and to listen to your voice as to how and when we are to give and to always be obedient to your Holy Spirit.
I ask in Jesus name,
Amen.
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