This is something that I shared with the young adults at my church last year. This is around the time when God put a passion in me to serve others. My cousin and I went to the city with two rolling book bags filled with turkey and cheese sandwiches and juice. We walked up and down blocks and would give food to homeless people. Such a joy came over me that day. My cousin and I began singing in the streets:
"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay. And I'm so happy, so very happy. I've got the love of JESUS in my heart. Yes I'm so happy so very happy. I've got the love of JESUS in my heart"!
These are my notes from when I shared and the video I showed:
I can give because God gave
God gives lovingly. God gives because He loves first. It's out of love that He gives. We love imperfectly, but the more we grow in our love for God, the more we begin to love the people that God loves, the more we become like Him. Giving releases joy into our lives and into the lives of others. I think that what’s so exciting about giving is that … it’s beautiful. It is life giving. It’s not just something we do out of duty, but something we do out of great joy. When we think of blessing, we think of it just as something God is showering on us. But when so many people haven’t experienced those gifts and we get to share them, there’s no greater joy than that; seeing somebody else get to experience the goodness of God. God wants to bless the world through us.
God is a giver, and there is no worthier goal in life than to give like God gives. When he asks us to give, when he asks us to sacrifice, he is asking us to become more like him, because God is a giver. God has given us everything (John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life). God has given us life. God has given us a restored relationship with himself. God has given us forgiveness for our sins. He has given us of His Holy Spirit so that we can actually have an experience of God inside of our lives and have an intimate relationship with Him. God gives to us constantly. If we ask for wisdom, God gives us wisdom. If we ask for peace, he gives us peace. (John 14:13-14 – And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it). He gives us material things when we need that. He gives us joy. In fact, every good thing we receive in life no matter what channel it comes through, every good thing ultimately is given by God. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. God gives. And so that means that as we look at this issue of giving, we've got to recognize that there is no higher calling in life. No worthier a goal than to be like God and part of being like God is giving like God gives.
(Side note: I grew up watching Veggie Tales. I love them!!!!)
