Giving is the foundation of love. Rom. 8:1
"Giving is freely and lovingly transferring of the possession of something of ours to our brethren and all those around us in need."
The foundation of giving is found in love because for us to really give selflessly we must first love and show love. This would make giving, to man and to God, an easy and simple way of life.
When we do not have love in our heart towards God and our fellow man we would find it difficult to give. When we talk about giving, we need to understand that giving comes from the foundation of love.
Mathew 22: 37-40 speaks of the greatest commandments of all. A command to love God and to love our neighbour. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 1 John 2:10 KJV
Giving built on a foundation of love brings us into the light and this light shows him the way that he does not stumble.
What do we have to give?
- We have time to give
- We have our money to give
- We give possessions
- We give a listening hear
- We give prayers
- We give our service to God and man
- We give our talents
- We give our knowledge
- We give our skills
Which ones of these and more do you give in love? Let us remember that God so loved the world that he gave. God gives because he loves us and if we are made in his likeness after his Image then we must also give because we love God and our fellow man.
When we give, we give to the Lord. So when we give to our fellow man, we should do so without any expectations. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27
