The Gift of Giving

I hope you'll forgive me for asking you a rather direct question today, but … how generous are you? No, really … how much of what you have and who you are do you give away? 19th century Scottish industrialist Andrew Carnegie rose from poverty to become one of the richest men in the world. He believed that the wealthy had a moral responsibility to distribute their wealth for the greater good. Putting his money where his mouth was, he gave away billions in today's money, finding great personal fulfillment in helping others. For him, his giving not only transformed society but also blessed him with a sense of purpose and an enduring impact. I know what you're thinking … you're not one of the richest people in the world. For all I know, you may be struggling to make ends meet. But there's so much more that we can give than mere money. Hebrews 10:24-25 We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer. The gift of encouragement is a gift of self. It'll definitely cost you something and yet, it could quite literally be the gift of life – even of eternal life – to someone else. And when you give that gift, when you reach out, persist, love, encourage – watch out as the blessing of God falls on you too. We need to keep on encouraging each other. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.