Joyful
Giving
God has
given us so many blessings. Some of us
more than others. Some people are
blessed with talent. Some of us are
blessed with money. Some of us are
blessed with time and some with resources.
How ever we are blessed, whether, with little or much, we should use
those blessings to bring God glory and to help those who need help. We may not always be able to help people but
when we can we should.
Pastor
John, went to the grocery store to buy groceries for a widow woman from their church. She was shut in and had no family to help
her. Though Pastor John had very little
money to spare, he was willing to show his love and care. He was talking to God from his heart. He asked God to provide not only his own financial
needs but also to help him be able to help people in need, like the widow woman
from their church.
Almost immediately,
Pastor John could hear young children exclaiming, “Look mom there’s Pastor John!” the children then ran to greet him with
joy. Their mother, Ann Whistler, smiled. Pastor John greeted them and proceeded to
tell them he was there to pick up groceries for Widow Beth Mentor, who had lost
her husband six months prior. Ann felt sadness as Pastor John told her about Widow Beth. She bowed her head in thought, then She
reached into her purse and pulled out $20.00 to donate to the grocery
fund.
Little
Anna Marie was upset, she remembered her mother telling her she didn’t have
enough money to be spending it on candy.
When they left the store Anna Marie complained to her mother about the $20.00. “We
will talk about this tonight, Anna, when we have our devotions.”, Her mother
said. “ I do not understand why you gave away $20.00 when Dad’s been laid off from work." frowned Anna.
During devotions that night:
Anna’s
mother opened her bible to four separate verses. She then read a story about giving with joy.
“Joyful Giving
Gives You Joyful Living.” “I chose these four verses to read to you.” Her mother started teaching.
"The
first verse is out of the book of Proverbs, Proverbs 31: 20 says, She
stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the
needy. The bible teaches that a virtuous woman will help the needy. When she can, she should. Even if it means sacrifice on her part.
Another verse we should pay attention to is a
reminder to people that helping others is God’s way. Sometimes people can take advantage of this,
so we need to pray about who we help.
God will
not hear our prayers of need, if we do not hear the cries of the poor. Proverbs 21:13 says - Whoso stoppeth his
ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. God wants us to give cheerfully to Him in our
Tithes and offerings. Making a donation,
to the grocery fund, at the church, is an offering unto God. Just as giving to missions is an offering to
God.
This final verse has to do with the attitudes of our hearts. God doesn’t want you to give to him because
you have to. He wants you to give to God with a cheerful heart of I want to - because I love God.
2Corithians
9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
The bible says if we are not giving to God of our tithes and offerings then we are stealing from God:
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
For our lives to be truly blessed by God, we must give to God in tithes and offerings. If God has blessed us, we must bless God in return, by giving to him out of love and devotion."
Anna's mother tucked her into bed and prayed that her children would grow up to be cheerful
givers and that the Lord would bless their lives. Anna also prayed for all her family and thanked the Lord for all their many blessings.
Susan Y Nikitenko
August 21,
22, 2021©
Story
Lesson
