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Giving
Brian Mashburn
December 14, 2014
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Giving Or Receiving?
Jesus claims that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
But I've received just enough that my heart argues with that premise.
Receiving is pretty dog-gone blessed, amen?
My supposed faith says that Jesus is right. But my actual actions often deny it. Perhaps my flesh is wrong, but it it honest - it seems much more blessed to receive than to give.
Maybe Christmas could be used as the most wonderful time of year to test Jesus' claim; to challenge my natural inclination to receive, to literally go against the gravity of self-blessing, and in a mind blowing way...give.
After all, if it doesn't work out, if Jesus is wrong, and we give without agreeing that it is more blessed than receiving, we can just blame our momentary lapse in judgment on the Christmas season and get right back to self-giving in January. No harm done.
But my hunch is that, if you dare utilize Christmas as a temporary testing ground, as a grand experiment of what kind of blessedness comes from ridiculous, self-sacrificial giving, that you will agree with Jesus... and be hooked.
Why not use Christmas as an excuse to give? Pray. Watch. Be attentive. Needs, opportunities, dreams, and possibilities are everywhere, trying to happen, if you will just see them. Consider that ridiculous idea, unafraid of what it costs. Just this once. Just for Christmas. See if what Jesus says is true.