Saturday 4 Oct 2014

October 4: Acts 20:32-35

Key Verse: Acts 20:35
I have shown you in every way, by labouring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Devotion:
When Paul was telling the church elders how they should be living, it was not a case of him telling them all the things wrong or laying down the lay as to exactly how they should behave. Paul encouraged them to do what was right. There was no guilt trip telling the people how disappointed anyone was with them or how they should do more for God. Paul simply retold them the words and encouraging things Jesus had already told them.

One of the phrases that we use today in modern society is that it is better to give than to receive. But when you think that through it seems wrong because it is always great to receive gifts, so why should it be better giving them instead? What would you get out of it? That is the whole point here that Paul is trying to make. Stop thinking about yourselves and what you can get out of any situations. Start thinking about what other people will get out of you being nice to them instead!

When you work out that it is great to give because you are changing someone else’s life, then you being to see how great it is to love Christ and live for Him! It is not the great feeling that you get out of giving someone else a gift – that is you looking for a quick fix of some kind. It is not the fact that you have loads of money and can give it to someone else who really does need it. It is the fact that you are able to give, willing to give and you have just given.

People getting a free gift of any kind is great because by very definition it is free and probably unexpected. Again it is not what you get out of it but the presence of God when you lift someone else’s heart up. Don’t always seek what you can get out of any situation. It is not always all about you!

Points to Ponder:
Have you made someone happy today?

Are you sharing Christ with them?