Thirty-nine years ago I told Luaine I loved her and asked her to be my wife. Since putting on my wedding ring, I have tried every day to show her that I love her.
I really don’t think she would be very happy if she heard me say, "I love you," but I never paid any attention to her. She wouldn’t like it at all if I flirted with other women. And it wouldn’t do if my other interests came before her. When I said, “I do,” to Luaine, I literally gave myself to her, and she gave herself to me.
This is what Christianity is. This is why the church is referred to as the ‘Bride of Christ.’ When you say, “I do accept you as my Savior,” to Jesus, you give yourself to Him and, the great news is, He gives himself to you.
The essence of Christianity is giving. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. . ." (John 3:16a).
Christianity is more than just intellectual assent to the truths of the Bible. It’s more than saying “I believe.” It’s letting your life be guided by your belief. True belief is always followed by corresponding actions.
Jesus said in Luke 6:38 38Give, 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.”
It's what you do after you say “I do” to Christ that counts. If you died right now what kind of legacy would you leave? I know of old people who died and their passing was just sort of "So what!"
They hadn't done anything for their community, their church, their fellow man. On the other hand, I've heard of people who died while young who left a rich legacy of giving of themselves and of doing good things for others.
Are you a giver or a taker? Do you just naturally gives of yourself, seeing and taking opportunities to help where you can? Is giving part of your Christian DNA?
Giving has nothing in this world to do with assets. It has everything to do with your attitude. When Jesus taught about giving He wasn't thinking about our stuff—our cars or houses or land or money we might have.
Look at what He said in Luke 6:20-21. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” Another word for ‘blessed’ is ‘happy.’
These folks have very little in material things. They're poor, hungry. Yet He calls them happy. Jesus is talking about their attitude.
Just a few verses later Jesus said, Luke 6:24-26. “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” Again, it’s all about attitude. The folks who put their trust in their wealth rather than in God, Jesus says "Woe to you. . ."
Jesus is not praising poverty or condemning riches. Whether you have little or a lot, when you are committed to Christ there is an inner spark of joyfulness that affects your attitude, and the world will never understand.
Jesus is trying to get us to look at ourselves and realistically ask, "What is my attitude about my stuff? What are my values?" Am I a giver or am I a taker?
My Grandmother Myers had a plaque on the wall that said, "ONLY ONE LIFE TWILL SOON BE PAST; ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.” We all have a choice to make. It doesn't matter your age, young or old, you have the choice. Are you going to be a giver or a taker? It's your choice.
According to Jesus, whether you are a giver or a taker has nothing to do with your assets—what you have or don’t have. Don't hide behind the excuse that you have nothing so you cannot give.
In the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America, the Great Alaska Earthquake on Good Friday, March 27, 1964, 130 some lives were lost in Alaska, Oregon, and California.
Downtown Anchorage was virtually destroyed. There was millions of dollars worth of damage. The Governor and legislature were under much pressure to rebuild. The Governor appealed for private donations. He went on TV with a letter from a 10 year old boy. Taped to the letter were two nickels. "Dear Governor. Heard you needed some help. Here's .10, if you need more, just ask."
That little boy had a giving attitude. That .10 was nothing to the overall costs. Yet his example meant everything to encourage people to help. You see, a giving attitude has nothing to do with your finances. Are you a giver or are you a taker? We see some characteristics of givers earlier in the chapter:
Christian givers constantly give of themselves. Jesus described their attitudes in Luke 6:27-28. Notice the active imperatives. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Love, do good, bless and pray. This is a giver.
Christian conduct always emphasizes what you do, which comes from your attitude. This positive activism continues in vv. 29-31.
Luke 6:29 - 31 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
This is the exact opposite of the legalistic picture of Christianity so much of the world sees. Too often the world sees negativism, complainers and whiners, the "thou shalt notters." All the world sees is what Christians are against. And they see those who pompously say, "I don't do this and I don't do that."
There are things we shouldn't do. We left a lifestyle of sin. But we entered a life of doing and giving. Christianity isn't just leaving sin behind. It is doing something positive today. It is proactive. Jesus said that you are to live on a higher plane than the rest of the world.
According to the world’s standards, Christianity is an unnatural way of living. Look at Luke 6:32 - 34 (NIV) 32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full.
Christians do more than is expected. This is why the world doesn’t understand us. Christians are always to take the high road because that is what will change and impact our society. Be salt and light.
Always do more than is expected. Be the leaven to a hurting world. But notice the key: Luke 6:35a 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Jesus, now you’re meddling. Do you keep score? You know what I mean. Do something nice to me and I'll do nice to you—my turn/his turn. “We've asked Bill and Jane over two times but they haven't asked us yet.”
“I’m going to give a big donation to the church, but I expect to have more say-sos in business meetings.” “I’m giving an organ to the church, but I expect a plaque with my name on it; and it can never be replaced.” “I paid for this pew, no one else better sit in it.”
We're so proud of ourselves when we do something good and nice, but then ruin it all by looking to get repaid. That isn't being a giver. That's being a trader. I'll give you this in return for that. I'll give a big donation to the church but I want to see my name in lights. I want to be stroked for it.
There are three levels of giving:
God, all that I am and have is Yours. What are You going to do through me?
I don't have much, but I'll do my best.
These are the traders. Do unto others what you've just been done. “Look at all I’ve done for the church. What’s the church going to do for me?”
I’ve learned that when you are busy and involved and giving to your church, you will discover that you are being fulfilled as nothing else can.
The choice is yours. The issue isn't how much you have or don't have. The choice is, “What level of giver am I going to be:
When you know that God is the source of everything, you don’t worry about getting back from others. “If you act like non-Christians,” Jesus said, "What credit it that to you?"
If everything you do is based upon the way the world thinks rather than on a Christian worldview, then, according to Jesus in v. 24, "You have already received your comfort." The one who has gained without acknowledging God, the one who is a taker, has already received their reward.
Verse 35 is difficult—love your enemies. Even lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Here's what I want you to see, the very next sentence, Luke 6:35b Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.
What a paradox. Christian, who is your source? Your reward comes not from other people, but from God. If you are a giver, God will take care of you.
Illus: John D. Rockefeller was a millionaire by the age of 23. A billionaire by 50. By the time he was 53 years old, because of the stress and ulcers in his life, he could only eat milk and crackers, and the doctors told him he only had one year to live.
He began to take stock of his life, what it had led him to, the fact he wasn't happy or going to live happily ever after. . .and he became a giver.
He began to give away fortunes, to churches, foundations, and especially the medical profession. When he started giving away of himself with no thought of reward, all of the wrong attitude poison in his body began to be released. He got rid of his stress and tension, and with them his ulcers. It was then he finally began to really live, and he lived to the good age of 90.
It's the donation of your life that counts. It's what you do that matters. In Malachi 3:7-12. The Lord talks about three kinds of blessings available to givers:
Malachi 3:7 (NIV) 7Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.
Return to Me and I'll return to you. God promises a closeness in your life you've not witnessed during the time you have been robbing Him.
Malachi 3:10 (NIV) 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
"Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Where's the storehouse? The storehouse is where you get your spiritual food. It's not television. It's not your old church where you have failed to move your membership from or just kept it there, it's the church where you are currently being spiritually fed. Tithe where you are at.
A Christian should not give to anything else as long as the budget in his or her church is not being met.
Malachi 3:12 (NIV) 12“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty. People notice givers, and you will influence others when you decide to become a giver.