Daily Devotional for Monday October 25, 1999

Why Give

(2 Corinthians 8:1-15)

Why give? One of the hardest things for most Christians to learn is God's concept of giving. While I agree with a lot of the scriptural basis for the prosperity message, I disagree with a lot of the applications used in that teaching. You see, the hardest concept for most of us to understand is that God's blessings come in many forms. The most obvious is some sort of unexpected windfall of cash, but I believe that most of God's blessings come to us in ways we never see. For example, when the Lord blesses you with good health, do you understand what it costs to be sick? Or how about when the Lord keeps that transmission going strong, saving you a $500 repair bill? Or how about when the Lord puts that hedge of protection around your children? Sometimes it is favor in the workplace or at school. God has so many ways to bless us, and unfortunately we take a lot of those blessings for granted or never even realize He has been blessing us.

Why give? Because the Lord commanded that we have love one for another. Never forget that the Lord blesses you so that you can bless others. God doesn't expect you to take your rent money or grocery money, but He does require you be a good steward of the resources He sends your way and remember there are others less fortunate.