Coming Home to Freedom: A Bigger Perspective
Devotional Reading: Philippians 4:10-23
Paul had a very different understanding of wealth than most people. When the Philippians were the only ones who financially supported him, he thanked them for their gifts, but recognized that their gifts resulted in people coming to know Christ. He wanted more of their financial gifts, not because he wanted more money, but because he wanted them to continue to experience the blessing of spiritual fruit that those gifts brought about. That is a very different perspective on money.
When you give to the church it may seem like the money has just left your account and gone into another and that is the last you'll see of it. But, when you give to the church the money leaves your account and goes into the church's and is used to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, for which you will receive credit. It is like an investment that gives a spiritual return.
It is kind of like when you invest in a child's life, you don't always get to see the fruit of your labors. Or when you plant an oak tree and then move to a different city and even though the seed took root and continues to grow you may never get to see the fully grown tree. Such is our gifts to God. They are planted, take root, and grow, and God-willing bear precious fruit, but we may never get to taste of its branches. Yet, this doesn't stop us from giving. It just teaches us to have a bigger less self-centered perspective. And that in itself is a reward.
Paul had a very different understanding of wealth than most people. When the Philippians were the only ones who financially supported him, he thanked them for their gifts, but recognized that their gifts resulted in people coming to know Christ. He wanted more of their financial gifts, not because he wanted more money, but because he wanted them to continue to experience the blessing of spiritual fruit that those gifts brought about. That is a very different perspective on money.
When you give to the church it may seem like the money has just left your account and gone into another and that is the last you'll see of it. But, when you give to the church the money leaves your account and goes into the church's and is used to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, for which you will receive credit. It is like an investment that gives a spiritual return.
It is kind of like when you invest in a child's life, you don't always get to see the fruit of your labors. Or when you plant an oak tree and then move to a different city and even though the seed took root and continues to grow you may never get to see the fully grown tree. Such is our gifts to God. They are planted, take root, and grow, and God-willing bear precious fruit, but we may never get to taste of its branches. Yet, this doesn't stop us from giving. It just teaches us to have a bigger less self-centered perspective. And that in itself is a reward.
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