Christ also loved us and gave himself for us. —Ephesians 5:2
When we give until it hurts, we can think about the widow in Luke 21 and her generous, God-dependent heart. And we can think about Jesus saying, “This is how it’s done,” because He would know. We were on the other side of the spiritual poor box, needing some- one’s extravagant generosity. Jesus carried the treasure of our salvation to the cross where He gave everything He had.
He gave His life to pay the debt for our sin, and He paid it in full. He reached through the boundaries of poverty and offered a way out. He made us children of God so we would inherit everything.
Our salvation is wrapped up in His generosity and His never-ending supply of help. Believing in God’s loving goodness opens our hands. We give out of love for Jesus, who is worthy of our money, time, attention, and energy.
Keep in mind, however, that when we give all we’ve got, we will feel empty. And the unchanging law of the kingdom of heaven is that God will fill us back up again.
Make it Personal
How does the fact that Jesus gave His life for us challenge you as you serve and give to others?