Givers and Takers
A couple of weeks ago, Pastor preached on givers and takers. Givers represent love and light; takers represent hate and darkness. Consider the looting and rioting we’ve seen over the past years; those takers have hatred in their heart, whether towards the police or perceived racial injustice. Givers provide life, while takers steal, kill and destroy. We all know Satan came to kill, steal and destroy, but God gave His son, so that we would have eternal life with Him.
We see the evilness of Satan in the very beginning, when he tempted Eve in the garden. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the garden, but forbade them from eating of one tree. Satan took their freedom away when he told Eve she would not die if she ate the forbidden fruit. On the contrary, “you will be like God, knowing good and evil,” he connivingly said. When you forget your identity, you will listen to foreign voices. The bible says God created us in His image. Adam and Eve were ALREADY like God, and if Eve had stopped to ponder that, she might not have been tempted. The pattern of giving and taking didn’t stop in the garden. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Abel gave his first fruits to the Lord, and because God was pleased with Abel, Cain became jealous and took his brother’s life.
It’s one thing to take from others, but to take from God…that’s just a bad idea. In the book of Acts, chapter 5, we see a husband and wife who sold some property, but instead of giving what belonged to God, they held a little something back for themselves. When confronted about the price they got for the land, they both lied, and God struck them both dead. Choose to be a giver, a CHEERFUL giver, and don’t rob God of what’s His...you might regret it!
Our proximity to God is directly proportionate to our productivity for God. The closer you are to Him, the more productive you are. The more productive you are, the more fulfilled you are. Luke 6:38 says “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” God is giving you a choice…spoon or shovel. You can spoon out blessings to others, or you can shovel it on them…just remember, how you give is how it will be given to you. Pastor has always said, “If God can get it through you, He can get it to you,” meaning, if He can trust you to bless others with the good gifts He’s given you, then He will continue to bless you.
Giving can be seen in many ways: you can give with your time, your talent, and/or your resources. If you’re lacking in one, give in the others…with a shovel!