THE OPPORTUNITY IS POVERTY

Luke 6:38 KJV
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Dear Believer,

Many years ago my wife made me realize a very important truth about giving. I was lamenting the poverty situation in the world when she said, “Poverty is bad, but without poverty and lack, there wouldn’t be any way to be generous. Poverty, in a way, is an opportunity for God’s children to be blessed because God increases us as we give.”

This thought certainly has a basis in the Bible. Giving is one of the means by which God increases His own people materially. The statement by Jesus, “Give and it shall be given to you is purely transactional.” For this to work, there must be a need in someone’s life and someone must be generous enough to meet it.

This is not an attempt to excuse, glorify or justify poverty. This is not to say that poverty is God’s idea or His perfect will for some people. What this means is that in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people, there will always be lack.

Deuteronomy 15:11 says there will always be poor people in the land. That means we will always have the opportunity to give.

Biblically, the opportunity to give is the opportunity to gain. God ensures that when you give to the poor, He repays you abundantly.

Proverbs 19:17 KJV
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

To give, a Believer must not have the mentality of a poor person. God has furnished you with every blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3). Yes, some things may not have manifested in this physical life right now, but you must learn to walk by faith in the provision of Omnipotence. So understand that you are blessed to give.

God will always give you a seed to sow. You will always have something to bless others with, and there will always be someone worse off than you.

Giving doesn’t have to be accompanied by fanfare and razzmatazz before it is acceptable to God. In fact, God prefers that you do it discreetly.

In Luke 21:1-4, Jesus looked on as people gave into the temple treasury in dramatic ways. Then came a poor widow who cast two tiny coins into the box. While her contribution appeared worthless to others, Jesus said she gave more than all other givers on that day because others gave out of abundance, but she gave out of lack. Her sacrifice was greater.

So God doesn’t judge your giving by size, but by quality, and that quality is determined by the level of your sacrifice.

God wants us to live a life of giving to the poor, giving for his work and giving to the brethren.

It is our lifestyle because we are Believers.

And because we are blessed!

Have a blessed day.

Your friend,
Deon.