Be The Light In Someone Else's Darkness

Let’s dip our toes into something many people aren't familiar with... and that’s the life principle of ‘Giving’.  Giving can be divided into two aspects, the giving of money and the giving of time both equally valuable.

Someone told me something on Sunday that really stuck with me, “If you have give; if you don’t have still give.” And what a wonderful thought that is. On the first aspect which is money I feel I've been dealt a season of obedience when it comes to separating myself from the love of money. Okay I’m going to be completely honest here I've always been a person who didn't think much of money because my parents always handled that aspect of my life for me but now that I’m earning my own money I know the sting of not having enough to satisfy my endless desire for things.

When posed with the question of ‘Why immoral people are so wealthy and ethical people are struggling to make ends meet’ as well as seeing something on Facebook about Hillsong being a money making machine I desperately turned to God for answers. If you read my last post you would know that I am busy reading the book of Jeremiah, God answered me last night right on queue as always. This simple verse reiterated my original thoughts when it comes to money and giving the verse is a follows “And should you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh says the Lord but your life I will give to you as a prize of war wherever you go.” Jeremiah 45:5 God is quite simply telling us that our prize for not lusting after money or power is eternal life and that’s priceless to me. If we all give a little of what we have then the world will gain a little more than it previously had. Always remember that giving is a personal thing between you, God and the person or communities life you sowing into. So for Pete’s sake (yes I just got Pete involved) it’s not necessary to instagram, status update, broadcast message or tweet about the R200 you just gave to a homeless guy. Give because you have the desire to do so, if you hesitate or give with half a heart then rather try again the next time when you literally itching to help someone out.

I changed my whole opinion about tithing and giving when Ps Phil read this praise report a while back “I am so grateful to God for giving me a job because now I am able to give” such a simple thank you yet so powerful and life changing.

But with the giving of money so should come the giving of time, and this is where I fall short. Some of us get so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t invest our time into making another person’s life a little brighter. Time is Gods currency; he gives us time on earth so if we being selfish with our time we using ‘Gods Money’ for our own selfish desires. Wonderful examples of 'time giving' include; spending hours listening to your friend about a difficult situation and offering advice where you can, serving at your local church, helping charity organisations over the weekend, and even something small like having a conversation with someone you don’t usually talk to. I will be better at this because where there is desire there is determination which results in definite success.

  

The gift of giving is a wonderful gift to have but sometimes as a Christian one might focus on the things of God rather than inviting God into everything you do, balance the giving of your time between the two. Never lose that intense relationship you have with Him, pray more and read more because in the end the simple acknowledgement of God's greatest gift Jesus Christ is what is going to get us through those pearly gates when our time eventually runs out.