Twice Blessed!

Our life can be blessed by different means and as the result of various actions. There are times we receive a blessing at the hand of others while at other times we may be the one extending the blessing. However, is it not possible to still feel personally blessed even when we are the one doing the SHARING? Someone has said, “Charity is twice blessed -- it bless him who gives and him that receives.” [source: “1600 Squibs And Quips”, compiled by E. C. McKenzie]

As Paul was speaking to the Ephesian elders before going to Jerusalem, he urged…
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.’” ( Acts 20:35 ESV)

In our Lord’s “sermon on the mount”, Jesus both cautioned and encouraged…
“(1) Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. (2) Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (3) But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (4) so that your giving may be in secret. And YOUR FATHER WHO SEES IN SECRET WILL REWARD YOU.” ( Matthew 6:1-4 ESV)

Certainly people who receive what they need feel blessed by the generous hands willing TO SHARE. If we have ever been on the receiving end we know the blessing and have most likely thanked God for those who came to our aid. However, why is it more blessed to give? Is it not so because we acknowledge being in a position of thankfulness for having been blessed with something TO SPARE and thus TO SHARE, though it is true some have even given out of their “extreme poverty” ( 2 Corinthians 8:2-4) and thus sacrificially? The giver is also blessed because -- according to Jesus -- the Father has His own reward for such service.

In the process of SHARING, thanks is offered to God by the recipient and by the giver and both experience a blessing. May we be party to multiplying the blessing as we SHARE God’s blessings with others.

Have a great day KNOWING SHARED BLESSINGS EQUAL SHARED THANKSGIVING!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Giving