More Blessed

I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.  Act 20:35. KJ2000


This, by the way, is not found in the Gospels.  Evidently it was a saying well known to the disciples which did not find its way into Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

How can it be more blessed to give than to receive?  The saying defies common sense.  But perhaps we can make sense of it:

It is the Lord who blesses

If the ultimate source of bread is the bakery, then common sense may rule.  But it's not.  It is the Lord who blesses, not "random chance."  If you believe that, then you must ask what it takes to obtain his blessing.  This is not a matter of finance;  it's a matter of personal relationship.

He's quite willing to tell you.  "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."   (Proverbs 19:17).  If you will see from this that it is the Lord's desire to be responsible for rewarding you, and reward you He will, then the matter becomes one of faith.  Do you believe that he means what he says?  Do you believe that he is capable of delivering his reward to you?

Receiving

Receiving a gift is obviously a blessing.  That's particularly true if you're the "poor" mentioned in the verse above.  But receiving blesses once—when the gift arrives.  All the blessing is usually visible, immediately.  There is no "long term benefit" - or eternal benefit.  The contrast is clearest where Paul tells the Ephesians that those who used to steal should now do honest work—so that they will have something to give!  (Ephesians 4:28)

Giving

The command of God is clear:  we are to help the poor and weak.  We are especially to help those who have no ability to repay us, for then He will repay (and generous he is).  We are to help in proportion to our wealth.

This is an imitation of Christ.  He came to our help when we could do nothing;  he gave us salvation, of highest value.  We cannot repay;  we can only be grateful.

It is also a sacrifice to God, in the Old Testament sense—something we give up that He might have the glory.