It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35.

Peter Johns put it this way, “Half of one person’s joy is the experiencing of another person’s joy. When you make someone happy, it makes you happy, too. When you give, you’re both giving and receiving, which is far more rewarding than just receiving.”

I like that definition, even if it is not a Biblical answer. What a blessing it is to give to someone that has truly needed what you gave them.

“A cup of water in My name” – if we as men had any idea of the blessing to come from sharing things in Christ’s holy name. Something that truly blesses me when giving is to remember how much has been given to me. Without a doubt, there is no way to explain what God has given to me. God brought me out of a horrible life of sin that was simply getting worse every year. I was given a Godly wife with four great kids, and one that we will meet in Heaven. I am still alive, living a good life and not in Hell with the man that could not take time to share his blessings with Lazarus. I pray that as you read this that you’re not a person that cannot share. No matter how little you have you can and must be a sharing person.

One year there was a group of workers that decided to take all the money that they would have spent on the party (food, drink, gifts, decorations) and hunt down a really needy family. They bought gifts for all the kids and parents, food – you name it, they had it. When they went to deliver it the woman broke down crying. They thought she was overwhelmed to have all this for her and her family, but no. When she got it together, she shared with those people that now they had something to share with a family down the road from them who were worse off than they were. Now, those were some truly blessed people, giving and getting and giving.

In your life, you might be able to remember when you were number one in your thoughts. What about me; what will I get; how can you help me; how will I get enough for me; when will my ship come in? The anxiety was overwhelming.

If you have ever made that special gift or bought it for someone special, how great did it made you feel? You might be going through something that has you down, but when your focus is on that other person, the weight is lifted off. It has not gone away, it is simple overshadowed by the more powerful feeling of being a blessing to someone else. If we stay fixated on ourselves, the anxiety can overwhelm us. Is it better to give than to receive? No doubt in my mind God knows what He tells us to be true. Find someone to give to this year and be a blessing not only to that person, but to yourself as well. God Bless and Merry Christmas – No happy holidays from me.

The Rev.
O.Michael Wilcox