Give freely

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Proverbs 11:24 NIV

After seeing my friend Dave's post on Friday that offered a pricey Fitbit that he no longer used for free to anyone who needed one, I had to smile. "Oh Dave," I thought to myself. "You are always giving to others." And you can be sure that Blair, the recipient of the GPS watch, smiled too. You see, just recently, her own Fitbit had died and she was going to replace it when she had the money. But our God is so good. Knowing that Blair needed the watch by February 1st so she could participate in the taji100 challenge with her friends, the Lord provided... through a person who gave freely. Feeling that I just had to share this story, I reached out to Dave and asked him the million dollar question, "What made you decide to just give it away?" His response? "I realize daily how blessed Traci [his wife] and I are. I often times ask God to show me how to share what I have whether it be spiritually, financially, physically, or something tangible. I this case the watch. Its not needed in my family but may help someone else get on track and achieve their goals." Do you just love that or what? And you can be sure that the watch is not the only thing Dave and his wife have shared with our community. Just ask anyone who knows them and they will describe this duo as people who just love to give and do so often.

 

And you know, when it comes to giving, the Bible tells us that the one who gives freely "gains even more." And while this may seem crazy to a world that seeks to hold onto as much as possible and regards giving to others as something that makes no sense and provides no gain, the Bible is clear that God blesses those who freely give of their possessions. He blesses them by making sure their needs are always met, by allowing them to understand that all good things come from Him thereby freeing them from being a slave to what they possess, and by giving them a joy that only those who love to give can truly understand. 

So if you're not a person who gives freely, I urge you to remember that everything that you have... your time, your talents, and your possessions all come from God. There is nothing good that you have that God did not provide and nothing that you can give away that God cannot replace. So give freely my friend so that you can experience the priceless joy that comes from doing so. You'll not only put a smile on your own face but on the face of God and the recipient of the blessing. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of the blessings that come from giving freely. Lord, when we are tempted to hoard our possessions, please cause us to know that everything we have comes from You to be used for Your glory. Bless us Lord so that we can be a blessing to others. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!