We are told in Acts20:35 that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” I have been thinking on this recently and I have come to the conclusion that my mother in law is the most blessed person I know. She gets especially carried away during the holidays. She loves buying gifts for everyone, especially the children and to see the joy on everyone’s faces. She does not limit her giving to holidays or special occasions. She honestly wants to help and put others before herself all the time. Some people may be born naturally with this amazing generosity but I have to admit I have been doing some internal soul searching and I am not one of those people. I am a terrible gift giver. A gift card is honestly my best friend around the holidays. Why do I want to buy something thoughtful for someone that they may not even use? I often put stipulations on my giving like the person must be deserving, and it has to be convenient for me. If I only have $5 and the Holy Spirit urges me to give to someone else, I immediately convince myself I must be losing my mind. I have been reading in 1Kings17 about a widow woman who was instructed by God during a time of great drought and famine to sustain the prophet, Elijah. As Elijah approached her and asked for food and water she told him in 1Kings17:12 “As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Clearly this widow was down to her last meal and knew she had no way to sustain her own son, let alone a traveling stranger. 1Kings17 (13)And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou has said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. (14) For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
Maybe this widow knew that Elijah was a legitimate prophet, but it must have taken great faith for her to open up her home to him and give him food FIRST then prepare what she thought was the last for her and her son. If she questioned the scenario for a moment, it is not mentioned. Not only does the meal nor the oil run out but her son becomes very sick during Elijah’s stay and dies. Elijah is able to pray over him and God brings him back to her. Two blessings she would have never received without being obedient to God to give. It reminds me of the widow’s mite. Mark12:43-44 (43) And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. (44)For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
It is easy for me to pray for someone when I am not busy, but if someone needs me at midnight am I still willing? It is easy for me to clean out my closet and house to give to others but what about my more prized possessions? What about my last $5? There are so many times that I pray for God to bless my family. Lately I have been asking myself, “Could I be holding God back from blessing me?” Just like the widow and Elijah, she first had to be willing to give her last to receive a truly amazing blessing from God.
