Do you know someone who is constantly sharing something with others?
They are generous with their words, selfless with their time and generous with their money. And yet it seems that they always have something more to give.
The author of the book of Proverbs, who is traditionally considered to be King Solomon, said:
“The desires of the righteous bring them blessings, the desires of the wicked bring God’s wrath.”
Proverbs 11:25
King Solomon understood generosity. At most, the Scriptures tell us this: “King Solomon became the richest and wisest among all the kings of the world.” (1 Kings 10:23). But he was also generous: he spent years of his life financing and building the temple in Jerusalem, and he also shared the knowledge he gained with other people.
Some of the most miserable people on earth are also selfish. But if you’ve ever been generous in your life—giving money, sharing your experiences, giving time, opening your home, or providing spiritual, emotional, and physical support—you know from experience that he who renews others will be renewed.
Of course, we should not give to receive. And we must also apply God’s wisdom when it comes to setting boundaries and preventing burnout. But Jesus is the King of the inverted Kingdom, in which:
Last will be first.
The eldest will be the servant.
He who gives his life will save it.
Jesus even told a story about a poor woman who gave the most because she gave all she had (Mark 12:41-44).
To be generous, it is not necessary to be rich, it is enough to have a heart that is ready to serve.
Therefore, today, instead of scarcity thinking, we have abundance thinking. Our God has unlimited power, authority and resources.
“A person who is kind to his soul does good.” — Proverbs 11:17
Two friends came to buy a laptop at an electronics store when they suddenly saw the famous basketball player Shaquille O’Neal. Knowing that he had recently lost his sister and a former teammate, they offered him their condolences. After the two men returned to their shopping, Shakil approached them and told them to pick the best laptop they could find. Then he bought it for them simply because they saw in him a man who was going through hard times; he was touched by their kindness.
A few thousand years before this meeting, Solomon wrote: “A man who is kind to his soul does good” (Prov. 11:17). When we consider the needs of others and do what we can to help and encourage them, we ourselves are rewarded. It does not have to be a laptop or any material things; God has different ways of blessing that this world cannot measure. Only one verse above in the same chapter, Solomon explained: “A virtuous woman attains glory, and the diligent will acquire riches” (v. 16). God’s gifts are far more valuable than money, and He measures them generously in His perfect wisdom.
Kindness and generosity are part of God’s character, and He loves to see these traits in our hearts and lives. Solomon summed it up well, saying: “He who eats others will be drunk too” (v. 25).
How has God been kind to you? How can you show His love to others?
Dear God, I thank you for your goodness. Please help me to become more like You so that I too can share Your love in my life.
Author: James Banks
Of course! Here is the edited translation:
We were not created to go through life carrying heavy burdens that weigh us down.
Fortunately, we don’t have to.
“All you who are weary and burdened, come to Me and I will give you rest. Take My teaching and learn from Me, for I am gentle and submissive, and you will find rest for your souls. Because the teaching that I give you is light, and the burden that I put on your shoulders is not heavy.
Matthew 11:28-30 UMT
When Jesus came to earth, He took our burdens upon Himself. Even when we were far from God, Jesus took the punishment for our sins and endured our suffering. And thanks to this, we have a Savior who understands us and sympathizes with us.
This Savior meets us in our mess and invites us to find peace in Him. This Savior is God with us.
“Blessed be the Lord! Day by day, He carries our burdens, God, our Savior!”
Psalms 68:19 UMT
King David wrote this psalm hundreds of years before Jesus came. But even then God was showing people that His character is constant and He is reliable.
God protected Noah when the earth was flooded (Genesis 8:1) and made a covenant with Abraham to bless, protect, and multiply his descendants (Genesis 17:4-7). He cared for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:7) and comforted David when the people tried to kill him.
God has never failed to be true to His essence. He is our constant help in times of need. He is our source of strength. He is our Comforter and our Advocate. The God David praises in Psalm 68 is our God. He is the One who constantly cares for us, stooping down to meet us in our mess and bring us out of our brokenness.
He carries our burdens every day.
Will we still face difficult circumstances? Yes. But we never have to go through them alone. The savior of the world is near. God is with us.
“Serve one another, each with the gift he has received.” — 1 Peter 4:10
When Crystal started working at the coffee shop, she served a customer named Ibby. As the man was hearing impaired, he placed his order by typing a message on his phone. After learning that Ibby was a regular customer, Crystal decided to serve him better by learning enough sign language so that he could place his orders without writing.
In this way, Crystal showed Ibba the kind of love and service the Apostle Peter encourages us all to show to one another. In his letter to the Christians who were scattered around the world, the apostle indicates that they should have “sincere love for one another” and use their gifts to serve others (1 Pet. 4:8, 10). Whatever skills and abilities God has given us, they are all gifts that we can use for the good of others. If we do, our words and actions can bring glory to God.
Peter’s words were especially important to those to whom he wrote, because the believers were going through a time of pain and isolation. He encouraged them to serve one another in times of trouble to help them endure trials. Although we may not understand the pain another person is feeling, God will help us to show compassion and graciously and joyfully serve one another with our words, resources, and abilities. May God help us to serve others, thereby reflecting His love.
Have you experienced the kind of hospitality that Peter encourages? Who could you serve today with your words, skills, and resources?
Heavenly Father, please help me to serve others with all that You have given me.
Author: Kirsten Holmberg
Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:10 are a paradox. We don’t often think of difficulties in life as a sign of strength or joy. Our culture often celebrates the physically and mentally strong, and it’s easy to exalt the successful and talented.
But Paul says that God works differently among those who follow Him. Instead of looking for those who are naturally talented and strong, God likes to use those who are weak and humble.
Our natural success and talents can get in the way of God’s work in our lives, but when we are weak and helpless, we must rely only on God’s strength.
This is why Paul says that he delights in hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, because it is at such times that God can be his strength and joy. God builds character in times of trouble.
Paul was not a naturally gifted speaker or writer, and yet God worked mightily in his weakness to produce the powerful speeches and letters that are part of the Scriptures. God’s power worked through Paul’s weakness to accomplish what Paul could not do on his own.
This perspective changes our lives. It is in moments of anxiety, weakness, or difficulty that God wants to be our strength. It is in times of persecution and hardship that God does some of His deepest work in our lives. If we are in a relationship with Him and depend on His strength, then He will be with us in times of weakness. He promises to be our strength in times of trouble.
Our default setting is selfishness.
Do not believe? Try to spend the day with the baby.
Babies want what they want, and they want it now. Toddlers will fight (and sometimes bite) to maintain control over their prized possessions. Little ones are not bothered by schedules, plans or perfectly white walls.
The good news about toddlers—and people in general—is that they are capable of becoming selfless people as they grow up. But if children are not reoriented with love and do not teach them to consider others, this selfishness will remain.
So, if we are inherently selfish people, how do we train our minds not to default to selfishness?
The Bible encourages us to model our lives after the example of Jesus…
“Do nothing deceitfully or out of conceit, but in humility regard one another as greater than yourself. Let everyone take care not of himself, but of others. May you have the same thoughts as in Christ Jesus!…”
Philippians 2:3-5
Jesus did not use His authority for personal gain—power, pleasure, control, or comfort—but took on the nature of a servant.
Jesus spent His time investing in others.
Jesus focused His attention on helping others.
Jesus gave His own life for others.
If you start to feel narcissistic, self-indulgent, or even a little self-righteous, try asking God for help.
Ask Him to help you see people as He does.
Ask Him to use any knowledge you gain to love Him and serve others.
Ask Him to give you the opportunity to lead others to Him.
God’s Word, the Holy Spirit and relationships with other believers purify our hearts. And with God’s help, we can change our tendency to live a selfish life to a selfless life.
Almost every successful company or group in history had something in common: they all had a unifying mission.
A mission statement is critical not only for aligning goals, but also for uniting a large group of people for a common goal.
As Christians, we all have one mission. We are united in following Christ. We are saved by His blood (Romans 5:9), and we are all called to make disciples in His name (Matthew 28:19).
And yet, even among Christians there is so much division and disunity.
In part, this is due to a lack of clarity and commitment to the mission as defined in Scripture. And to make matters worse, we are sinful human beings, and sin naturally causes division in our lives and relationships.
But the psalmist in Psalm 133:1 reflects on how good it is when God’s people live together in unity. There is something powerful that happens among Christians when we are united.
Unity does not mean that we forget our differences, because there would be no need to unite if we were all the same. No, unity is the combination of our differences and the desire to do much together for Jesus.
Together we can do much more for God’s Kingdom than we can alone. But for this we must strive for unity. Life is better when we work together.
Think about the people in your life who may be different from you. What steps can you take today to build a greater sense of oneness with those around you? Think about how you can glorify Jesus in your life through the relationships and communities you are in.
Sent with love
What does unity mean to you? In a chaotic and divided world, sometimes the word “unity” can sound like something out of place, something that just can’t work in the broken world we live in. Division is nothing new. In fact, this was a challenge at the very beginning of church history, and the apostle Paul faced it head on.
In 1 Corinthians 1 we see that Paul received reports that the believers in Corinth were segmenting themselves based on who shared the Gospel with them. They said: “I belong to Paul”, “I belong to Apollos”, “I belong to Christ”. Instead of being united as one body of Christ, they divided into smaller groups and factions.
Pavel was very excited by this. In 1 Corinthians 1:13, he asks them simple questions: “Has Christ shared? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in Paul’s name?”
Paul did not want the believers in Corinth to get lost in comparisons and divisions. He wanted them to be united under Christ: one King, one Gospel.
Paul brought them back to the only thing that matters: salvation from Christ alone. Without Christ there is no unity. But under Christ we can be united in a way the world has never seen or understood.
In a world of struggle and division, the Body of Christ shows the power of the Gospel. We are united, focused on Christ and Christ alone.
Sent with love
Have you ever thought about what you think? Did you realize that your thoughts have power? Have you ever wondered how over time you become what you think about?
Writing from a Roman prison to believers in the Greek city of Philippi, the apostle Paul knew firsthand how important it is to fight difficult things with true thoughts. He regularly faced opposition, weakness, difficulties, and persecution.
But Paul also knew that the followers of Jesus were called to a different way of thinking…
“In conclusion, my brothers and sisters, I will tell you this: think only on what is true, noble, just, pure, pleasant, honorable, excellent, and worthy of praise!”
Philippians 4:8
Even in a broken world, God has created good, and He has empowered us to notice and praise Him for it.
The Apostle James also reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from God, and Jesus tells us that He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, when we focus on what is good and full of truth, our thoughts are directed to God – the giver of good and the author of all that is true.
Focusing on what is good can look like thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice for you. It may mean that you remember a time when you felt God protecting, providing, or preparing you. Or it can look like thanking God for the promises He has kept and the love He has shown you.
Following Paul’s advice does not mean practicing positive thinking, it means focusing our thoughts on God to develop the mind of Christ in our daily lives.
So think about what you’re thinking about today. Look for a rhythm of gratitude and worship. Thank God for the opportunity to shed light on a dark world. And seek that which is good and pure and true wherever you go.
Have you ever walked in the dark? Maybe your home lost power during a thunderstorm, or you’re stuck on the road with car trouble. Walking in the dark can be scary and dangerous.
Having light is a little better, isn’t it?
The same is true of our spiritual journeys.
How we find this light in the midst of darkness is actually quite simple: Psalm 119 says that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, in other words, the Bible itself is light! This is our guide. It helps us make decisions to follow Christ and not walk in darkness. Just as He is the light of the world, we are called to be His reflection in the world. When we intentionally choose to walk in His light, we embrace truth, righteousness, and love.
Walking in the light means giving up our old ways, seeking God’s guidance, and allowing His Spirit to shape our thoughts, actions, and attitudes.
When we walk in the light, a beautiful transformation takes place: we find communion with one another. This light of Christ not only illuminates our individual paths, but also creates a bond of unity among believers. This is how we discover the joy of shared faith, encouragement and responsibility. It is through this connection that we are reminded that we are not alone on our journey.
Think about your walk with Christ today. Are you consciously choosing to walk in His light? Are you growing up in a community? And do you fully embrace the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus, allowing His grace to cleanse your life?
As you meditate, consider how you can grow closer to God by experiencing the rich life He has promised and become a beacon of His light in a world that so desperately needs it.
