In The Pilgrim’s Progress, two characters named Gaius and Mr. Honest have a poetic exchange: “A man there was (though some did count him mad),The more he cast away the more he had.He who bestows his goods upon the poor,Shall have as much again, and ten times more.”* There’s truth in that, isn’t there? People … Continue reading You shall have as much again, and 10 times more
giving
Sundaes, waitresses, and Jesus
A young boy went into a diner. The waitress asked for his order. “How much for a sundae?”, he asked. “Four dollars.” The boy searched through his change and started putting coins on the counter, tallying up his total as he went along. The waitress was very busy. She rolled her eyes but didn’t say … Continue reading Sundaes, waitresses, and Jesus
Radical generosity
Much is made of the radical generosity of those first followers of Jesus. Acts 2:44-45 tells us that “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” Not everyone did this (as other stories show), but many of them did. It was … Continue reading Radical generosity
The gift you give and get at the same time
People make money. Older people and younger people. Some make a lot and some make a little. Some run companies and some deliver newspapers. And many do a whole bunch of other things. But WHY do we make money? Well, sure, we make money to provide for our needs. It’s nice to have food, clothes, … Continue reading The gift you give and get at the same time
The gold is in the giving
I was recently talking with someone about how we live in a “consumer culture,” and about how deeply that kind of thinking has burrowed its way into our hearts and minds. It’s hard to escape. We consume. Products, plastics, food, ideas, even people sometimes. We spend our days being battered by advertisements and promotions which … Continue reading The gold is in the giving
The beggar and the King
Elisabeth Elliot tells us a story about a beggar and a King. A beggar was sitting at the side of the street with his hat outstretched asking for money. Then he noticed that the King himself was coming, complete with his whole entourage. This was his lucky day! How could the King refuse to give … Continue reading The beggar and the King
Actively looking for opportunities
All week we’ve been exploring how we can be wealthy (regardless of how much money we have). Our main verse has been 1 Timothy 6:18. Paul says: “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” So far I’ve asked you some critical gut-check questions. … Continue reading Actively looking for opportunities
Reverse gravity
You want to serve. But things in life are already weighing you down. But what if helping others actually made you feel... lighter?
This might make me Mr Unpopular
You want to serve and help others. But you're just too busy. Or are you? (Maybe you should just tell your excuses to Greg.) Read on...
What you give up God fills up
You know that serving and helping others is a good thing. But it leaves you tired. So is it worth it? I think so. And here's why.
The Up Devotional 