Thursday, April 19, 2012
To friends of EveryDay Life Ministries: I leave early tomorrow morning from London for ministry in Sofia, Bulgaria, where EveryDay life is also translated and distributed there by Pastor Lusi Arsov and Friends Church. I ask your prayerful agreement with me in faith for fruitful ministry for the teaching times this weekend. I look forward to reporting on the ministry there and resuming the daily devotionals upon my return home next week. ARR
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“Much is required from those to whom much is given.” Luke 12:48 NLT
“You have gained little, if anything, apart from someone’s gift or grace.”
My thoughts today are about “living responsibly.”
Why are our natures uncomfortable with being accountable? We seem to prefer to answer only to ourselves. But that is not the way life works, is it? You and I have been given much – kindness, friendship, open doors, recommendations, assistance, benefit of others’ experience and knowledge, resources, abilities, and opportunities. You have gained little, if anything, apart from someone’s gift or grace shown you. In one form or another, every gift brings a responsibility to sincerely acknowledge gratefully, as well as a stewardship for what you received. “It is required that those who have been given a trust prove faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV.
Jesus stated this truth simply and succinctly, “Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.” Luke 12:48 NLT. You may be tempted to take for granted what you have, without realizing the incredible generosity shown you or recognizing your accountability for its wise stewardship and generous sharing. Jesus made that clear. Accountability is directly related to what you have been given. You are responsible to God and others for what you have received. Be honest in your personal inventory.
Living responsibly means living gratefully toward the persons whose charity was given you. As a child, I was taught that a gift is never really yours until you have expressed sincere thanks to the benefactor. You show true gratitude by public recognition. You don’t choose to and for whom you will be grateful any more than you chose the gift or giver to begin with. For everything you have, you are certainly accountable to God because God is your true Source. But also to some lesser measure, you should embrace an accountability to the supply God chose – an individual, or usually individuals – through which God blessed you, and use their benevolence in a way that honors both gift and giver. Gayle’s and my life, family, and ministry are rich because of those whose hands and hearts contributed to us.
Living responsibly means living generously with what has been given you. God’s blessings and provision are resource for your enjoyment of life, and ministry to others. “You have received freely, give freely.” Matthew 10:8 NKJV. Better to be a channel of continued blessing than a container storing more and more for only yourself. God will bless what you have when He can bless what you give.
Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20-21 NIV. How do you do that? I think that you best accomplish that when you submit yourself and all that you have to the Lord for His use, purpose, and direction. Simply stated, you have been blessed to be a blessing and received to give. I am sobered to know there will be a day for personal accountability before God. “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God . .” Romans 14:12 NKJV. See also 1 Corinthians 3:10-17 NIV.
My prayer for you today is that you embrace the joy of living gratefully and generously.