GIVING BACK TO GOD AND BEING BLESSED
All good things come from God (Romans 11:35-36; James 1:17). God has even given us his best in giving us his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for our sins and assurance of eternal life (Romans 6:23; John 3:16). Yet God is glorified and blesses us in still others ways, when we recognize him and give back anything with a willing heart (2 Corinthians 8:12; Luke 6:38).
A POOR WIDOW, meekly gave her last two small coins in the temple of God. Although there were those who gave a lot from their wealth, the Lord Jesus highly praised and memorialized the poor widow for giving all she had to live on (Luke 21:1-4).
ANOTHER POOR WIDOW, in the Old Testament, during a dearth, gave the last of the food and water she had for herself and her son to a hungry prophet of the Lord named Elijah. The Lord replenished her supply of food and water until the Lord caused the drought to end. Still more, the Lord enabled Elijah to raise her son back to life after he died (1 Kings 17:7-24).
A BOY WITH A LITTLE FOOD: He gave his five loaves of bread and two fish to Jesus to feed a large crowd of hungry people. The Lord blesses what the boy gave and fed over five thousand people (John 6:5-14).
MARY AND MARTHA befriended and fed Jesus, who was homeless. As a demonstration of her love and respect, Mary even pour costly perfume on Jesus’ feet and dried them with her hair. When their brother Lazarus died, they called Jesus, and the Lord resurrected him from the dead (John 11:1-44).
SOME OF US may feel we have nothing significant to give, in comparison to others with more noticeable gifts. But we may be surprised when we get to heaven and see how highly the Lord appraises things we have done that the world hardly values. Jesus said that in as much as do such things as the following for the least of his brethren, you do it for him. And he will reward you. (Matthew 25:34-46; Mat: 10:42).
- Feeding the hungry
- Caring for strangers
- Clothing the naked
- Caring for the sick
- Visiting those in prison
- Giving a cup of water
However, first and most importantly we should give ourselves to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord (John 6:29). Then we ought to give of our substances, our money, our time, and our service. But we should do all to the glory of God (Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
The Lord said he will give us back “a hundredfold in this present age…and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:30).
