“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48b
The financial application of this verse is timely and relevant in light of #Giving2x2Tuesday and the encouragement to share end-of-year support with churches and nonprofit organizations. As a ministry, we are honored and humbled to be able to do what we do because of generous supporters like many of you. Thank you! And if you missed the #Giving2x2Tuesday opportunity, it is not too late to make a donation!
However, I have reflected upon other facets of the application of this verse—the spiritual ones. To extend a blessing to others is a declaration of our appreciation for the blessing we have received. What has been given to me I am called to give to others.
The forgiveness I give to others correlates to the Father’s forgiveness of me (Matt. 6:14-15). The grace with which we have been treated must be passed on to others (Matt. 18).
The compassion the Father has demonstrated by not treating me as my sins deserves inspires me to show compassion to others.
Yet if I neglect to recognize all that I have been given, I will be stingy in sharing it with others.
Who am I to judge who is deserving of blessings or not? Nevertheless, I identify with the older brother’s outrage and fall into the trap of thinking I deserve more (Luke 15:25-32). However, if it were dependent on merit or what we deserved... let’s just say I am so thankful it is not (Ps. 103:10-14)!
We are merely stewards of our blessings (Matt. 25:14-30) and when we share them with others, His light shines brighter (2 Cor. 4:5-7).
Why give?
We serve a God of abundance (2 Cor. 9:8-15). His blessings are limitless (Phil. 4:19). He gives generously to all (James 1:17). And we are blessed to be able to give from what we have been given, thus multiplying the blessings.
