17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Mark 10:17-22 NIV
The rich young man came to Jesus for something that he lacked. He seemed to have everything but that which only Jesus could offer him. He most likely sat under the instruction of the Rabbi Jesus and listened to the same words we have access to today in the Gospels and discovered that there was a lasting peace and satisfaction that he felt unable to find in his own life. He also was impressed that this Rabbi could give him a pathway to heaven but he was told something he didn’t want to hear. In fact, in his extreme disappointment he went away sad.
Jesus is concerned about wealth causing us to become less dependent on Him and having only a share of our devotion. There is a paradox in the Scriptures “We lose what we keep and we gain what we give away.” The Scriptures are very plain about God’s generosity and how being generous ourselves can give us much joy and treasure in heaven. In II Corinthians 9:6-15 NIV we find words that help us understand the purpose for generosity.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: ‘He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
However great our abilities, we have nothing which God did not give to us, and which he cannot withdraw if these tokens of his favor are not recognized, appreciated and applied where we are led to apply them. I believe, that which we are given as gifts from God are given with the intention that they be returned in such a way as to add to the glory of the Great Giver. We do this for our spiritual well-being and growth. The glory of God should be the joy and the blessing of all. When we seek to promote his glory we are seeking for ourselves the highest good which is possible for us to receive.
“Thus a round of thanksgiving to God is created by the spirit of giving which first of all displayed itself in the unspeakable (indescribable) gift of God! We are as cups filled at the spring and from us the thirsty drink and praise the Fountain! “ C.H. Spurgeon
In the lives of the Saints of the early church following the day of Pentecost there must have been great dependency on one another. For a Jew to embrace Christianity was to lose everything worldly in the way of a livelihood. Their family ties would be severed and even their national identity. Though, as they received the grace of God through Jesus Christ, their numbers grew daily because they were performing acts of grace toward one another, living out the principles of community outlined in the Gospel.
Imagine our communities where the living sweetwater of generosity flows between us -where each one is doing their part in responding to the needs of others God places in our lives each day. “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” From II Cor. 9:12-14 NIV
I wish everyone a peaceful time of thanks giving for all the blessings we have, especially in rural living.
Rita Foster is a Texas County author and writer.