"More Blessed To Give"
We taught our children that when we share something with others, God blesses what we have left with greater satisfaction, enjoyment, and the gift of knowing, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). They learned well, thankfully, and it is a joy to see them as adults act in consistent self-sacrificial blessing to others.
I experienced such blessedness yesterday regarding our daughters Marie and Emmie as I enjoyed the best peach of the summer. Emmie and I know one of the great truths of God's creation, namely, that peaches serve as summer's greatest gift to our hearts, tastebuds, and bellies (Marie likes peaches, but is not the enthusiast about them as is her sister and dad. Not yet, that is!). Indeed, I defy any atheist to give significant consideration to the beauty, fragrance, texture, and taste of a good peach without realizing that a mindless universe could never have evolved such a wonder of glory. Only God could have made the peach. Moreover, He made sharing peaches an even greater blessing. So, as I cut into the best peach of the current season, and as its sweet juice dribbled down my chin and its perfect flavor and texture graced my palette, a joyful thought raced into my mind: "Emmie has got to have some of this!" I remembered we were scheduled to have dinner with our daughters, so I wrapped up half of the peach and placed it in the refrigerator. I then finished my portion with far greater enjoyment because I knew how much Emmie would share my enthusiasm about this best and brightest version of summer's best fruit. She did, and to make the blessing all the more blessed, Marie also shared in the experience. She concurred: "That's really good!" (That's my girl!).
Not only did I have have opportunity to share with one daughter, but with two! Such glory proceeds straight out of God's glorious heart. As we frequently suggest in these messages, He "loveth a cheerful giver" because He is Himself the most cheerful of givers (II Corinthians 9:7). His delight in bestowing provision for the needs and desires of His universe cannot be measured. The best we can do is remember that in order to give rather than judge, God the Father sent His Son to the cross of Calvary and its horrific loss, thereby making possible His gracious bestowal of "every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17).
"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
Little wonder that the universe flows with the current of giving and sharing. Those who flow with it in Christ find immeasurable joys in moments of sacrifice that fill our hearts even as we empty our hands in bestowals to others. The beauty of such grace originates and forever proceeds from God's heart. This is who He is, the good, great, joyous and generous One who "giveth to all of life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25). The cheerful Giver. Yes, God made the peach. He made a particularly wonderful edition in late summer 2019. And He made sharing it the greatest gift of all because the Bible declares for a reason that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Because it truly is more blessed to give than to receive.
"It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
(Luke 12:32)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any tribulation by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
(II Corinthians 1:3-4)
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