C.S. Lewis once said ….”I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare…If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us,… they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures excludes them.” Those who knew C.S. Lewis said that he practically gave away all the income he received.
When it comes to giving we are all challenged to go beyond our comfort zone. How easy it is for us to give from our abundance, how hard it is for us to give from our reserve! I believe that we are never more like God then when we give. Giving is one of the great characteristics of God. I have found that the people that seem to display the most impacting character of God all have the common ground of being a giver. Jesus said, “give and it will be given unto you.”
What kind of giver are you? I keep processing this in my head and heart all the time. Brian, what kind of giver are you? You see, if i can be very transparent with you, when it comes to most things in life… I want everything for myself. At this point in my life, there isn’t anyone close to me who would say… “man, that zimmerman guy, wow, he just does not stop giving!” When it comes to being like Christ, I think I have some areas in pretty good shape, but when it comes to giving…hummmm…I’m struggling!
My human idols all seem to have one thing in common…they were all givers! What’s up with that? Why am I so drawn to this character quality, yet struggle to fully implement it in my life?
I think that I have recently discovered something that is helping. One of my human idols is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her whole life was nothing other than giving. She once said…”If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed at least one!” I love that quote and I believe that it holds the key to moving me towards being the giver I want to be. Here it is… you ready?… start today by giving to one, don’t try to be the greatest giver in one day!
When I start consistently giving in small ways, God will Bless those efforts and begin to shape my heart more into the image of His (sorta like what happen to the grinch!). So, let me tell you what happen to me today. Lunch time came and I decided I would like to go get something to eat. So on my way out of the building I saw someone who is totally serving God and the thought hit me….instead of going out to eat…go home and fix lunch for you and make one for this person. Well, after a small battle in my mind and heart (me still wanting to go out to lunch…God wanting me to learn a lesson on giving)…I went to the house and fixed this person a lunch. And, just like the grinch, my heart started to grow…I began to sense the pleasure of God and started to get excited. Well, I carried this newly made lunch over to the building and guess what… this person was gone!!! Immediately, I was disappointed. But then, I thought for a moment, making this sandwich wasn’t about the need of a friend, it was about my heart being willing to give!!! So, as I ate the sandwich I made for the friend (lol), I thanked God for shaping my heart. I had focused on the one, and as a result, I have moved a step closer to focusing on the hundred!
Jesus, my savior and my hero, once said…“Give, and it will be given to you (even an extra sandwich for lunch). They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:39 NAS
What kind of giver are you? Take a step today to become a great giver for Jesus!
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Recently I have been on an exercise and eating adjustment quest. Carol and I have been eating healthy foods and I have been getting back to a regular running program. It has been a great experience. We have loved the change and have been losing weight and gaining spiritual insight. Our food adjustment came with our 21 day Daniel’s fast. It is basically a vegetarian type diet coupled with a spiritual focus. Wow…I didn’t realize how much “king stomach” was in charge of my life. As God and I began to over take “king stomach”…I soon realized that my out of balanced appetite was ruling more than my stomach. You see, any single desire of the flesh is related to all the other desires of the flesh. So, as I am experiencing fresh spiritual insight, I was hit with a great thought. While running one early morning as I was heading up to the top of Federal Hill park I had one of those moments when God simply whispers something in your ear…”today you are running for you, but realize that I have called you to run for me!” Immediately, I thought about Paul’s statement in the New Testament that says…”run in such a way that you win.” We are all in a race, and God has called us all to “run the race.” I don’t know about you, but I want to run for Jesus! I want to go the distance, I want to endure to the end, I want to run in such a way that I win one for Jesus! Start today…put on your spiritual running shoes and go out and run for Jesus!
