AN ADAGE A DAY ◽ ENCOURAGEMENT
To Give or Not to Give
by Carole Gilbert
Wow! Have you heard this phrase? “To whom much is given, much is expected.” I’ve heard it at times during my life, but I never thought about it deeply, until I heard a preacher on the radio talking about it. It originated from Luke 12:48 so it is scriptural. It basically means that for those of us that are gifted in some way, it is expected, or obligated, for us to share it with others. The gift isn’t just of monetary means but also means of talents, knowledge, and anything that we have abundance of.
It refers to what God has given us, and we can read more about this proverb from parables in the Bible, like the parable of the master, servants, and talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. We also know that what we give from our heart is what is most important
to God, like we read in the parable of the widow lady who didn’t have much but still gave what she had. After all, no matter what we have, whether it’s a little or an abundance, it’s still a lot since it comes from God.
Always remember, a cheerful heart is good medicine. And with a healthy heart, the beat goes on. So, do we always give with a cheerful heart?
There have been times and still are when I’m asked for things I don’t want to give up, like my time helping somewhere or doing something out of my comfort zone. But every time I do, I’m very rewarded. For example, my son played trumpet throughout his school years. He was really good, even making first chair All-State band his senior year. He was also in the jazz band in High School. I’m a very sentimental woman and I still have my kid’s trophies, medals, t-shirts from various activities, football helmets, and trinkets they were given for special occasions. I’m not a hoarder but you get the picture. The jazz band my son was in had specially made button-up shirts as their uniforms. After he graduated, I kept the shirt. It was very sentimental to me. A couple of years later, when my younger son was a senior, he told me about a guy he knew that made the jazz band but wasn’t able to afford a shirt. I didn’t want to, but I felt my heart tugging with emotion. So, I ended up giving him my son’s shirt. He was so excited and wore it so proudly. That made me proud. This young man is now a professional saxophone player. And thanks to God, I feel a special sentimental connection to him.
More quotes about giving include:
"It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving."
- Richard Braunstein
"No person was ever honored for what he received. He was honored for what he gave."
-" Calvin Coolidge
"Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can."
- John Wesley
And the best one of all is from Jesus Himself;
Acts 20:35
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
It’s getting close to the holiday season. Let’s remember these quotes and verses as we share this year.