THE MIRROR EFFECT
READ Proverbs 11: 24-25
REFLECT
Isn’t it just like God to call it exactly how he sees it? He doesn’t mess with words. Simply put, you get out of life what you put into it. But wait, God is so gracious he doesn’t just give back in the same measure we have given… He increases it! The other side of the coin is really a warning to beware of our natural tendency to keep everything of what is ours. There is no blessing without an investment in others. Nothing is more satisfying than truly blessing someone else, because deep inside whether you are thanked or not, you know that you did something outside of yourself. When I was a little girl, my father was a police officer. He never got Christmas Day off due to shiftwork. Finally when I was 6 years old, he was scheduled for his first Christmas off with our family. We were so excited! However, on Christmas Eve his partner’s house caught fire from the string of Christmas lights. His insurance was not enough to cover the damages. My father and the rest of his platoon (without a thought) spent Christmas repairing the substantial destruction so this family would have a home.
Years later when I was a police officer, I too was anticipating my first Christmas with my two daughters ages 2 and 4. However, weeks leading up to Christmas, I caught pneumonia and was bedridden. Then early on Dec. 17th a night light in my daughter’s room malfunctioned and caught fire; fire leaping like lightning throughout the house. Sarah, age 4 ran and woke me up in time to get us all out of the house. Concerned about Christmas for the kids, knowing better I took the chance and returned inside briefly to grab what few presents were under the tree, I was too sick to re-shop. I didn’t get many as I was overcome with smoke and had to get out. Later that night, although we lost our house and virtually everything in it, we gave thanks for surviving. Then the most amazing thing happened. The doorbell at my parent’s house rang and when we answered, no one was there, just tail lights down the street. What we found on the porch was a stack of presents for the girls, the likes of which they had never seen. A few weeks after Christmas I found out it was the generosity of many police officers. God had given back to our family in need. Just as my father had invested his Christmas in another, so it was given in great measure back to us. It was this experience that prompted me to give my life to Christ.
BOTTOM LINE
How can we possibly lose when we are generous? We can’t; it is God’s personal promise!
LIVE
By being generous, you are a thread in the bigger picture, the effects of which are beyond our understanding.
PRAY
Pray to give beyond yourself, knowing it is an investment in God’s economy. In turn, you will be blessed!
LA Doyle
