A miner worked very hard every day in the mines for a living. The overseer of the mine said to him one day, “Thomas, I’ve got an easier berth for you, where there is not much hard work, and where you will get better wages. Will you accept it?” Most men would have jumped at such an offer. But what did this noble fellow do? He said to the overseer: “Captain, there’s our poor brother Terence: he has a sickly body, and not able to do hard work as I can. I am afraid his work will shorten his life and then what will his poor family do? Won’t you please let him have this easier berth? I can go on working as I have done.” The overseer was wonderfully pleased with Thomas’s generous spirit. He was a faithful friend.
Romans 15:25-28 (NKJV)
25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.
The fruit of generosity is one that must be seen in the life of a believer. The nature of Christ whom we confess as Lord is that of a giver. He gave of His very life so that we could be redeemed. Paul is acknowledging the gentiles from Macedonia and Achaia because out of their own accord it pleased them to make a collection to help the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. You would have thought that it would have been vice versa that the saints in Jerusalem would be the ones to send them help.
We live in a world where many are self-centred only thinking about themselves and their relationship with God is always about what God can do for them and rarely how God can use them to be a blessing to others. We are called to give and to give generously in fact;
Proverbs 19:17 (NKJV)
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.
It takes faith to be that kind of a giver.
Declaration
Like my heavenly father, I am a giver. I will give generously and without compulsion because my heavenly father loves a cheerful giver. I will give to the poor without complaining, I am blessed!
