“Give, and it will be given to you.” – Luke 6:38
“You can’t outgive God.”
I’ve heard church members use that phrase when describing the blessings they’ve received after helping others. They’re not referring to any sort of “prosperity gospel.” They have experienced what Dr. Long often talks about on Sunday mornings.
Helping others does something to your soul. You can feel it.
I’ll never forget that feeling, more than 20 years ago, when a waitress ran after me in the parking lot of a breakfast diner.
“Sir! SIR!” she yelled.
I immediately thought I had left my wallet in the booth. I checked. Whew. I had it. So now I was really confused. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Thank you. Thank you! I can’t thank you enough! Oh my goodness, thank you!”
You may have guessed by now that she was grateful for the tip I gave her. Guess how big that tip was. $20? $40? More?
It was $10.
She ran out the door… ran… to thank me for a $10 tip. My French toast breakfast cost me just five dollars, but she was hustling and stressed, and I felt bad for her. I never, ever imagined she would react like that over ten bucks.
I drove away feeling this odd combination of having a warm heart and a guilty conscience. I had constantly complained to myself about the meager salary of my first full-time job. Suddenly, I was grateful for what I had. Suddenly, I realized just how much some people are struggling to make it in this world. I mean, I already knew that… but now I felt it.
When people join St. Luke’s, they’re asked if they will support the church with their prayers, their presence, their gifts, and their service. But that’s not a one-way street. There truly is a reciprocal element to each of those things. Blessings.
I feel closer to God during prayer, more loved while at church, happy to share what I have, and fulfilled while helping others. In Matthew 10:8, when Jesus is sending out the twelve disciples to help others, he says “Freely you have received; freely give.”
When you do that, you’ll feel it.
Ed Doney, Staff Writer
