God Thoughts No. Sixty Three

photo: walthampton.com

This morning the Lord reminded me of something I read quite some time ago.

It went something like, 

“Use what you need of the resources which God supplies,

 then give the excess to someone else in need. 

As you do, you will find that your cup will never run dry. 

You will receive a continuous flow. 

As you give, so you will receive.”

This line of thinking goes against everything our culture teaches 

(even within the “Christian” community)

 and that fact strikes me as flat out wrong.

As I was thinking on it this morning, 

I also had this thought;

“I bet if every Jesus follower actually did this,

we could end poverty.” 

Poverty isn’t only financial lack.

Poverty is physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual. 

It affects the whole person.

All too often, when we encounter those experiencing poverty, 

we automatically begin making assumptions. 

Assumptions about how they got there,

 why they remain there and 

how we think they ought to get out of it.

We forget that each situation is unique. 

We assume too much without actually knowing that person’s story. 

And we judge without bothering to get to know them.

As I have previously shared, 

I am well acquainted with the affects of poverty.

I thank God every day for the persons in my life who have faithfully, 

 for the past several years,

  put into practice, giving part of their resources to us -

month-after-month.

 For truly, without them, 

we would have been homeless a long time ago.

And since we are in the midst of this adverse financial situation, 

some days I am hard-pressed to figure out

 what I can give to someone else.

But this morning the Lord reminded me that 

I have myself to give to others. 

Holy Spirit has equipped me with 

the gift of encouragement 

and as such, I am to encourage others. 

And since school is “out”,

 right now I have an “excess” of time. 

So, I am to give my time to others

 through phone calls, text messages and visits.

And since these are the resources I, indeed, 

have on hand right now, 

I will give myself and my time. 

Jesus said it plainly,

 “Give and you shall receive.” 

And,

 “With whatever measure you give, 

it shall be given back to you; 

pressed down, shaken and spilling over.”

It really is that simple.

What a loving, gracious God we have. 

For truly, He has given us the answers to all of life’s dilemmas.