“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.”
– Acts 20:35 (NIV)
When we believe in Jesus and live our lives following after Him, we get to experience His grace and mercy every day! We get to walk in new life and new ways of thinking about God’s creation and our place in it. Not to mention, we can rest knowing we are God’s own children!
But it can be just as easy to live life thinking only of ourselves and the good things we have received. Jesus spent most of His ministry helping and assisting others, but if we’re being honest—and Jesus was always honest, too—most of us have a tendency to be selfish with God’s gifts, or ignore opportunities to serve the weak or needy in our everyday lives.
As Paul was speaking to the leaders at the church in Ephesus in Acts 20:35, he made sure to remind them that his life has not been about himself, but about helping others. Paul says that everything he has done has been about helping those who are weak and in need. Paul didn’t say these things to boast about himself, he said them to point back to Jesus as the truest example of love.
While the Christian faith is certainly about loving God, it is also about loving others as well. It is about using our new life in Christ to bring positive change to the lives of others—the same positive change Christ brought about in us.
Jesus said that when we use our life to help others, we end up even more blessed. It is always more blessed to give to others than to receive for ourselves.
Take some time to consider the way your own life has been blessed by others. Then, write down a few ways that you can begin to help others who are in need. What practical ways can you bless those in your neighborhood, work, or school? Begin to build a habit of being a blessing to others.
SHARE YOUR FAITH!
When you live with a “give more than you take” mindset, you don’t just bless others. You are also bless yourself.
LET US PRAY!
God, you’ve already given us everything. Now, help us to be Your hands and feet; a true blessing in someone else’s life. You have blessed us beyond meassures! In turn, We want to be generous with our time, attention and resources. Show us Lord, we can love today.
In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
