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Give and Grow Rich

Jesus Christ said, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.^"1

In his young struggling years, W. L. Douglass, the shoe manufacturer, "had been unemployed so long that he was down to his last dollar. Nevertheless, he put half of it—fifty cents—in the collection basket of his church. Next morning he heard of a job in a neighboring town. The railroad fare to that town was one dollar. To all appearances it would have been wiser if he had kept that fifty cents. However, with the half-dollar remaining he bought a ticket and rode halfway to the desired place. He stepped from the train and began to walk to the town.

"Before he had gone one block he heard of a factory right in that town where they were employing men. Within thirty minutes he had a job at a salary five dollars more a week [a good sum back then] than he would have received had he gone on to the other town.^"2

Giving from the heart is really an outward expression of gratitude. In life there are two types of people: grateful givers and selfish takers. Giving does not only mean we give of our finances, it also refers to giving help, time, and using our talents to bless others. Selfish takers give little and live primarily for themselves and their own well-being. On the other hand, givers who give from the heart give of themselves as well as of their time, talents, help, love, support, and of their resources and money. They may or may not be financially secure, but regardless, they are rich in generosity and the things that matter most in life. The grateful giver also trusts that God will provide all of their needs when they seek Him first.

It is a fact of life, the more we give—whether it is of ourselves, our help, our love, our support, and/or of our resources—the richer we become. And the richer we become, the more we have to give. When it comes to giving to God, we simply cannot out-give Him.

Question: Among your friends and contacts would you be considered a giver or a taker? Being a giver is a choice. You can start that today by being a friend and giving someone a kind word of encouragement and a warm smile.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, knowing that Jesus is the supreme example of a Giver, please help me to become more and more like Him, and be a giver in every area of life—knowing that I will reap what I sow. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Luke 6:38 (NIV).
2. Arthur Tonne, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, p. 478.

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