Giving

Acts 11:27-30

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁷ Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). ²⁹ So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers^[a] living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+11%3A27-30&version=ESV)

As I read this passage today I began to wonder how I would respond to a prophet who told me there would be a famine in the land.  I would probably be the one that would say, I will believe it when I see it” or “I will be sure to support them when that actually happens.”  I even think that it would be best for me to store up my own food and money if a famine was coming.  I think so many of us today feel this way.  If we gain wealth we think that we deserve it and if we don’t, others may think that we have either done something wrong or that we just don’t try hard enough. 

Often times, the gifs that we get from God need to be paid forward.  If in fact, we are capable of providing to others, we need to do so.  We need to give when the opportunity presents itself, not wait until there is a dire need.  If we have it, we should not hold onto it in in case of a rainy day if we know there is or soon will be a need.  If however, we are just spending it on foolish things of this world, we should rather save it for a rainy day. 

If we have obtained our dreams, then we need to pay it forward by sharing with others.  This is what the church did for those who were about to suffer a famine.  They gave according to what they could. 

I don’t know where you are in this journey of life.  Maybe you are the one that has been blessed with dream jobs, dream salaries, then you should be looking for ways to share that dream.  Maybe you are one suffering from a famine, whether loss of job, homeless, bed-ridden, those of us with abundance need to be reaching out to those of us who have not.  If you happen to see someone in need, go the extra mile or as many miles as to your ability and show them the love, compassion, and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Seek Him and know that He went above and beyond for us, we need to do the same for Him by showing others that love.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila