Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 21:25-31
Prov 21:25-31
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. 26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent. 28 A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure. 29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways. 30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. 31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Gal 6:9-10
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
There are those who want a lot but are unwilling to work for it. They have desires that just eat away at them, so they crave, and they hoard what they do have. It is not in their thoughts to ever give to anyone else or to share what they have. They are thinking only of themselves and their desires. While the Bible teaches that we are not to be lazy, it warns us often about being greedy.
Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive. The principle is often given that teaches us that the more we give to God, the more we will be given from him. This is not a “get rich quick” scheme. If we give in order to receive, it does not work. It is only when we give to others because we love Jesus and want to serve him, truly expecting nothing in return, that this will happen. Jesus said to lend to the one who cannot repay, or in essence, just give it to them.
But Jesus also teaches that we are to be good stewards of what has been put in our trust. God blesses us with material things, and he wants us to use them wisely, not wasting it or just consuming it on our own desires. When I started this paragraph, I did not intend to go back to giving, but it seems that Jesus always takes us back to sharing and helping others. Even giving someone who is thirsty a cup of cold water is giving a gift to Jesus. We serve him by serving others.
O Lord God, give me a heart of compassion, a spirit of love, and a life of serving you by serving others. I do know that you intended for me to enjoy what you have given to me in this life, but I also know that it is not to be consumed on my desires alone. Keep me from being greedy and open my eyes to the opportunities you place in my life to help others. Help me to be like Jesus and go about doing good. Be with our nation and give us leaders who will respect you and your teaching, so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives in godliness. I pray in Jesus’ name.
Robert
