Mar 142 min read

Day 331 - Offer Others Your Time, Talents and Wealth

Recognizing the good in offering others your time, talents, and wealth.

And Jesus, hearing it, said to him, One thing you still have need of; get money for your goods, and give it away to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven; and come after me.

But at these words he became very sad, for he had great wealth.

And Jesus, looking at him, said, How hard it is for those who have wealth to get into the kingdom of God!

It is simpler for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a man who has much money to come into the kingdom of God.

And those who were present said, Then who may have salvation?

But he said, Things which are not possible with man are possible with God.

And Peter said, See, we have given up what is ours to come after you.

And he said to them, Truly I say to you, There is no man who has given up house or wife or brothers or father or mother or children, because of the kingdom of God,

Who will not get much more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life. (Luke 18.22-30 Bible in Basic English (BBE))

Do you struggle to give of yourself and your wealth to others? If so you would be among many. The struggle is age-old and as simple to define as good vs evil. When you refrain from helping others, and you can, you move further from God. As that happens, something breaks within you. That something makes it easier and easier to journey away from the Father. You might initially feel sorrow, not necessarily understanding why, but as you continue, the voice of sorrow is overridden by the voice of evil urging you not to worry. It encourages you to give in to placing yourself before others to feel its fleeting pleasure. God begins to fade away from your thoughts and priorities.

Prayer:

God, I do not want to lose you. Instead, I want to offer others my time, talents, and wealth generously. Please help me be strong and easily do what I know is right. I will never be hungry with you, and my sorrow will always be lessened. My joy will be rich and all I need when I follow your footsteps. I seek and love you with a heart that continually grows with your love. Please use your love to continue smoothing my rough edges every day. I pray in Jesus Christ's name. Amen