Give Thanks

It is the month of gratitude, a time for us to be thankful for all the different blessings in our lives.  My mind quickly begins to fill out a list of material blessings that my life overflows with.  Strangely though, as that list flows beyond the necessary and into the abundance in which I live, I begin to wonder what all of this has done for God.  How has it drawn me closer to him and drawn me out into the nations with his gospel and his love and his compassion?  If I simply sit in my home and am grateful for my roof, what benefit is that?  If I rub my full belly after another meal, who does that help?  If I check my bank balance and am thankful that there is enough there for my family, what good does that do?  Until our gratitude turns to generosity, we will continue to miss out on the impact that each one of our lives could potentially have.

How thankful should we be?

• If there is food in the fridge, a roof over our head, and clothes on your back, then you are wealthier than 75% of the world.
• If there is money in your bank account and in your wallet, if there is spare change on the counter, you are richer than 92% of the rest of the world.  You are among the top 8% of the wealthiest people in the world.

How thankful we should be is obvious.  How then should we live?  Why is it that such abundance seems too often to produce pride, greed, and calloused hearts?  What if our gratitude would produce a generosity in us?  Now, I know when you read generosity many of you think money alone.  You should think money.  When we see the needs of the world, the millions living in poverty, hunger, war, oppression, etc. our hearts should be moved and our money should be separated from us and be given for those in need.  But money is not the only issue of generosity.  Time, skill sets, compassion, prayers, all of these should be shared for the dire needs of those living around us.

Maybe this year we should consider the result of abundance and obedience in the life of Jesus Christ.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.  2 Cor. 8:9

What does abundance and obedience look like in your life?  Who is being made rich through the generosity of your time, your prayer life, your resources, ect.?

Join with me and let’s pray together, “Father, I give you myself, my stuff, my success, and my suffering for your glory and the blessing of others.  May the abundance in which I live and the obedient choices I make cause others to be rich in you.”