“It
is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can
sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sometimes
we think success is about accumulating stuff. Or the good life is about being chauffeured around in a limousine and living in a mansion with servants
at our beck and call.
Richard
Carswell, a motivational speaker, has met many rich and poor people in the
course of his travels to over 100 countries worldwide. Through it all, he
concludes: Only those who make a unique and selfless contribution in life experience
great joy and satisfaction.
True
fulfillment comes when we give ourselves to others—and live for a cause that’s bigger
than our dreams and desires.
Here
are eight reasons to encourage us to make giving a lifestyle:
Sign of maturity
As
babies, we cry out for attention when we are hungry or wet. But when we grow up
into adults or parents, we progressively shift from ‘getting’ to ‘giving’ mode.
The
late Sir John Templeton, a billionaire investor, devoted millions toward increasing
our knowledge of love through scientific research and education. Agape, he
says, is “love that gives you joy and helps you grow by giving love. You don’t
grow much by getting love; most growth in life is by giving love.”
Therapeutic
Many
have discovered that giving—not necessarily money—can be very fulfilling. For
example, childless couples and single ladies have adopted children in order to love
and nurture them.
A
depressed person can experience great joy while serving the less fortunate. Even
simple acts of love, like cooking a meal for others, can uplift the spirit. Self-pity
takes a back-seat when the patient realises how blessed he is compared to
others.
Reflects God’s heart
The
Gospel is about God who loved us so much that He died on the cross for our
sins. To achieve his mission, He became man, relinquishing his divine rights
and privileges (Philippians 2:7).
What
made Jesus choose the way of the cross? He took the path of self-denial because
of the joy that was set before him (Hebrews12:2). He envisioned the day when
many will enjoy restored relationships with God through his death (Isaiah
53:11).
As
believers, is self-denial a part of our life?
Reflects obedience
When
we give, we are responding to God’s command: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in
full—pressed down, shaken
together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The
amount you give will determine the amount you get back" (Luke 6:38).
Due
to different upbringing, temperament or circumstances, some may find giving more
difficult than others. People may be willing to contribute their time and
talents. But when it comes to money, some may have second thoughts. The wallet is
often the last frontier of resistance.
But
the God who loves us first makes things easier (1 John 4:10). Many believers
can testify to God’s blessing and provision. His faithfulness tugs at our
heartstrings and makes us want to obey Him.
Expression of faith
Faith
has to be down-to-earth. It’s no use telling those without food and clothing,
“God bless you, stay warm and eat well” without giving them these necessities.
Faith without deeds is dead (James 2:15-17). We cannot love without giving.
Since giving
honours God, He will ensure we are blessed for having faith in His promises. In
fact, we are called to put God to the test—to see whether He will release
showers of blessings from heaven (Malachi 3:10).
We are also
told to honour God with the firstfruits of all our crops so that
He will bless us abundantly (Proverbs
3:9-10). Not all of us are farmers
so firstfruits may mean our first salary or first profit from our business.
Reflects good stewardship
How
we give of ourselves to others depends on our gifts and talents. After
exhorting believers to be sober and prayerful, Peter touched on the practical
outworking of our faith—serving
others, preaching and hospitality (1 Peter 4: 7-11).
Believers
simply cannot say we have nothing to give for God has imparted something unique
to each person. For example, those without the gift of preaching may excel in
hospitality.
Some
may be called to a ministry devoted to helping others—serving the disabled, prisoners,
orphans, old folks, single parents or foreign workers. We may not be called
into such specific caring ministries. Nevertheless, we need to be loving and
kind.
Other
believers may have entrepreneurial flair. These are the captains of industry. Bold,
creative and decisive, these movers and shakers can set up deals through their connections
with key people in business and politics.
Church
ministries can be supported by tithing and special offerings. However, the
mission of reaching cities and nations needs the resources from entrepreneurs.
Social
transformation will need plenty of financial resources if it is to impact the
nation in a big way. Wealthy businessmen can play an important role by building
affordable housing, schools, colleges, orphanages and retirement homes.
Some
entrepreneurs have the knack of creating jobs for the marginalised. They don’t just
hand out fish but empower the poor by teaching them how to fish. Some even help
them start small businesses by offering loans (micro-financing).
Helping others, helping
ourselves
When we help others, we are also helping
ourselves. Those in sales can readily identify with Zig Ziglar’s saying: “You
can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get
what they want.”
“Cast your bread upon
the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). Giving our time
or money to the needy might seem wasteful, akin to throwing bread upon the
waters, but we will be rewarded—though it may not be immediate. The generous
man will be blessed because people naturally gravitate towards those who are
willing to be spent for others.
Leaving a legacy
The
man in the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) thought that hoarding was the
best way to ensure a secure future. After a bumper harvest, he broke down his barns
and built bigger barns to store grain. But he did not reckon that his life
would suddenly come to an end.
Jesus
called him a fool because he was covetous. He failed to grasp the fact that life
is transient and that wealth is useless on judgment day (Proverbs 11:4).
The above article was first published in Asian Beacon magazine, Aug 2014, issue 46.4
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SALT AND LIGHT
What
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TEACH A MAN HOW TO FISH
“Give
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for a lifetime.” Based on this premise, social entrepreneurs establish
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CULTIVATING SELF-SUFFICIENCY
No
doubt those in need deserve help for a season. But they should not continually
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perpetuates a “dependency syndrome”.
NO FREE LUNCH
There
ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
THE REASON FOR THE
SEASON
Christmas
is about giving. We can give without loving others. But we cannot love others
without giving of ourselves. Jesus loved us by giving away His life. The wise
men presented meaningful gifts.
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