Daily Devotional

Are You A Giver?

By Tanya S. Martin-James
This week's topic: The Importance Of Giving

Do you regularly present [something] voluntarily without expecting compensation? Or is there a price tag attached to everything you do? Do you want to give, but feel like you need to wait until you make more money or pay off some of your debt first?

Are you afraid to give because you don’t want people to take advantage of your kindness? Do you give regularly but for the wrong reasons? Do you give because you are seeking accolades, recognition, money or something else in return?Are you one of the many people that have been conditioned to think the only way to give is monetarily?

“Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

It’s clear from the scriptures that Christ was a giver. Since we are called to be followers of Christ, this is a character trait that we need to apply to our lives as well. However, it is important to make sure that our motives are right and that our giving is genuine.

Then we must realize there are endless possibilities of ways to give and we should take advantage of as many of them as possible. A few include:

You can give skills. Are you a singer, musician, artist, therapist, chef, writer, web designer, accountant, etc. Whatever your area of expertise is, do some pro-bono work for a company that is doing impactful things in the community, but can’t afford your services.

You can give love. There are so many hurting people in the world that could simply use a hug or someone to talk to about various issues of life. Sometimes just a smile is enough love to encourage someone.

You can give kindness. Every day you are presented with many opportunities to do random acts of kindness for those whom you come in contact with. You can offer to help an elderly person or a woman with small children to load groceries in her car. You can give up your seat on the train. You can let someone else have the closest parking spot.

You can give from your overflow. Look around your house; do you really need 8 TVs, 12 winter coats, 49 pairs of shoes and 9 blankets? Or could you donate some of that to the less fortunate?

But do you know one of the greatest gifts you can give?

Give your testimony. Be willing to be transparent and share where and what God has brought you out of during your walk with Him. Your testimony could be the key that leads another to Christ, or back to Christ.

If we all adopted an attitude of giving, the impact would be incredible. So let’s open up our hearts and our eyes and give of ourselves as Christ gave of Himself. It starts with each of us as individuals. So get up … and give!

Scripture Of The Day: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)

Tanya Martin James is the author of From Promiscuity to Proverbs 31: Getting Off the Fence of Sexual Immorality and Coffee Moments: A Work in Progress http://www.armedanddangerous.biz She also blogs at http://www.mycoffeemoments.com

Subscribe to receive the SF Daily Devotional in your inbox each morning!