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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Do you know the scoop? Well, the scoop is this: The meaning of words is fixed by the context. And, the word scoop is no exception. Without context it could mean: 1) A deep shovel, 2) A particular style of neckline on ladies' apparel, or 3) Information of interest that has been obtained and published exclusively. Scoop can be used either as a noun or as a verb. Today's message and a few messages to follow will be about spiritual scoops. For our purposes, a spiritual scoop is information of eternal interest that is stated exclusively by a single biblical writer or speaker.
Here's the scoop: “So now, brethren, I [Paul] commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20.32-35).
Exactly when Jesus uttered the words which Paul quoted or under what conditions they were spoken is a mystery that will probably be revealed only on the eternal shore! Yet, for those who accept the apostleship of Paul and the process of inspiration that vouchsafed the entirety of God's word, there can be no doubt but that Jesus spoke the words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Our particular interest is not so much in the curious (how, when, where, etc.) as it is in the content of the statement. Hence, the remainder of this article.
First, an observation. It certainly can be a blessing to receive something of which a person is in need or which will help accomplish a worthy goal. However, it is equally true that not all receiving is a blessing. The gift itself can be tainted. Or, the purposes of the recipient can be less than honorable. Some gifts are obtained by deceit and hence the gift only acts to entrench the con artist in his illicit gains. Blessed receiving is actually a grace that can only be mastered by those who first learn to give!
Secondly, every gift that has ever been given in the sense in which Jesus spoke has been a blessing to someone. First, when a gift comes into the hands of the truly needy or appreciative, the recipient is blessed. But. Regardless of the recipient's usage of the gift, the giver is always blessed in two ways. First, the character of the giver is enriched by the process of giving. This may sound cliche, but it is nonetheless true. However, there is a second way that blessings accrue to the benefit of the giver. Jesus also identified the basis for this second blessing when He said, “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10.41-42).
Creator God is aware of and interested in the smallest details when it comes to seeing and rewarding good! While much emphasis has been placed on His ability to know of and punish evil, the Bible just as clearly points out the opposite side of guilt and punishment. Our God is first and foremost a loving God who wills that which is good for every soul. He will go to any righteous lengths – even the giving of His only begotten Son – to see that everyone is blessed eternally. It is more blessed to give than to receive!
Questions:
1. How could Paul be so sure that Jesus truly spoke the words he quoted in Acts 20.35?
2. What other biblical statements can you recall that indicate that God sees and is interested in the tiniest details of our lives here on the earth?
3. What is signified by the giving of a cup of cold water in Jesus' name?
4. Read 2 Chronicles 16.9. How do the claims of this verse compare with today's message?
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