Give And You Will Receive

• How does God reward his people?

• If you know God will reward you for helping others, how can you have a truly generous spirit?

“Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”
Mark 9:41

God could have given us an eleventh commandment and ordered us to donate, say, 50 percent of everything we have to him. He could have made it a sin to give 49 percent or less. He could have decided to punish us when we were not generous with our possessions.

But that’s not how he chooses to work. Instead, he poses it as an unbeatable opportunity. He asks, “Would you like to do me a favor?” Of course, the answer is yes. Who wouldn’t want to do God a favor? And then he reveals what’s really important to him: “Then take care of people who are in need.”

When we lend a hand to someone in need—even if it’s just offering a cup of water—we are helping God. His heart is with those who are overlooked and underprivileged. When we use what he has given us to help people, we touch God’s heart. And he won’t forget that.

God rewards people who look out for others — especially others in need. And his generosity puts ours to shame. If we commit ourselves to helping the needy, he will bless us in ways we can’t imagine.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for rewarding generosity. Let us focus on what we give rather than what we will receive. Keep your generous spirit alive in our hearts. Amen.