Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Mother Teresa
Being Blessed
We have a man in our church that has been blessed, but this humble man knows that he was blessed to be a blessing to others. How marvelous! He gets it. He would have understood what Mother Teresa was saying that God doesn’t give us things to hold but to give away or share with others. That’s what God Himself has done, so why shouldn’t the children of God bless the children of God and all for the glory of God?
For the Joy of It
Why does this man in our church give? For the joy of it! That’s what he says and I believe it. Most of those in our church are disabled, one homeless man, one blind man, two unemployed, and two former prisoners, but those are the very people God calls and saves…and those are the very ones my friend loves to help. No one told him to help the poor, except perhaps the Spirit of God that compelled him to do so.
Meant to Share
The account of the young rich man coming to Jesus revealed that his god was what he worshipped, and that was his money. That’s why Jesus said it is “only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:23). He didn’t say, impossible, but it’s harder for people who have wealth, possibly because money is their god; it supplies all their needs but also all their wants. It pays the bills, feeds the stomach, warms the house, and generally provides anything they need or want. Sadly, they don’t realize that only Jesus Christ satisfies and He does forever!
Only Stewards
In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus was trying to teach the disciples (and us) that we are only stewards of what we own, and not owners of anything. Jesus said, “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away” (Matt 25:15), and “He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more” (Matt 25:16), and “he who had the two talents made two talents more” (Matt 25:17), however to the one who had received one, he buried it. He wasted it by not using it (Matt 25:25). The fate of the one servant*who kept what was not his to begin with, is a fate far worse than we can even imagine (Matt 25:30), indicating that this man was never saved in the first place or he would have sowed it into the kingdom.
More Blessed to Give
If you have read much about Jesus, you know that He was blessing to many by healing them, making the blind to see, the lame to walk, and even raising the dead. Jesus blessed the children that came to Him, and He has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Eph 1:3), so if you want to be blessed, be a blessing, because it’s more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
Conclusion
Mother Teresa was a giving person, giving her life in service to others. She truly believed that “God gives us things to share; God doesn’t give us things to hold.” Do you believe that? If you believe the Bible, you will believe it is better to bless others than to withhold what is not yours in the first place. Besides, the giver is more blessed than the one receiving the blessing, and that’s another reason to be a radical giver. Jesus was…because He gave the most (Mark 10:45; John 3:16).
* Servant is actually the Greek word (doulos) for slave.
