Tag Archives: Genesis 12:1-3

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Giving: Are You The Eye Dropper Or The Jug?

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Recently, a good friend of mine was teaching on the topic of giving and he asked an interesting question. He told us to imagine we were desperately thirsty and someone offered us water to drink. His question was this, “Would you prefer they give you drink out of an eye dropper or a gallon jug?”

giving

Give Me The Jug!

I am pretty sure your answer to that question is the same as mine – I want the gallon jug! I am not sure anyone would prefer quenching their thirst out of an eye dropper over a gallon jug. No real brain teaser there.

It was his follow up question that got my attention.

When giving, are you more like the eye dropper or the jug?

Great Giving Analogy

Since I am one that likes analogies, this was perfect for me. I instantly understood the question and began thinking of the appropriate parallels. While virtually analogy has its limitations, I think there are several lessons we can get from this picture.

First, think about how much and how often you give. I am not really talking about your tithe at this point, but all that you give over and above the tithe. [This post is not about whether the tithe is a New or Old Testament requirement or expectation. Set this issue to the side for now.]

Questions To Ponder

How often do you find yourself giving to those around you? How much do you give?

Does your giving hurt? Is your giving sacrificial or out of abundance?

When you think about this, are you separating your business and personal lives?

Do you hesitate or are you quick to give?

Do you think your giving represents the eye dropper or the jug?

Another Giving Perspective

Let’s think about another perspective for a moment. Let’s say you are the holder of the water and you want to give it to someone to quench their thirst. If you want to make sure their thirst is fully quenched, which would you prefer to use – the eye dropper or the jug? Why?

Certainly, you can give more and give it faster if you use the jug, right?

So how do you think God looks at us when He wants to give? Does HE see you as the eye dropper or the jug? Why should that matter?

God’s Giving

Well, if He wants to give through you and you act more like the eye dropper, then He will not be able to give you as much or as quickly as He may want. If He wants to give THROUGH you to those around you, but you are slow and tight like the eye dropper, what do you think He will do?

On the other hand, what if you give like the jug? Do you think God will give you more resources to give to others because He can give more quantity and more quickly through you? Have you considered this before?

Once again, I am giving you my thoughts based on what I believe to be true. So that you can see I am not making this up, I want to check the Scripture to make sure it backs up what I am saying.

God’s Giving Purpose

Check out the following verses from Genesis. This is God speaking to Abram (later Abraham) and giving him the original covenant between them. Notice the dual ideas of being blessed and then being a blessing:

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:1-3

Blessed To Be A Blessing

Can you see that God promised to bless Abram and his people (Israel), but that they also were to be a blessing to all peoples on earth? This is HUGE and so often we neglect this very idea. We want to be blessed, but we are often hesitant to bless others with this blessing we have been given.

God did not say He would bless Abram so he could kick back and enjoy it. His intention is that the blessing He gives is to be used to bless others – all over the world!

How Achieved

Now that we see the purpose we have, let’s look at HOW we achieve it:

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:38

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Be The Jug!

Hopefully, you can see that we are all to be more like the jug in our giving. As we give, we are given more. This is the principle of the sower. As we are given more, we continue to give even more. This goes on an on.

This is not a prosperity gospel. This is about God giving more through us because we have giving hearts. This is about our hearts seeing His purposes and responding with our own giving.

I pray you will take these words and ponder them. Pray that God will show you where you are today and where he wants you to be. I promise He is faithful to do it.

Because I want to give you every opportunity to take action, I am going to tell you about an opportunity for you to give right now. My friend, Pastor Rajeev, does incredible work in Northern India where the Christian population is less than 2%. He is trying right now to raise the money he needs for his annual budget.

I encourage you to stop what you are doing right now and pray what God would have you to do for Pastor Rajeev. If you want to learn more about what God is doing through Rajeev, check out the links below. At the same time, don’t let your research distract you from the immediate need! Check them out:

Partners In Action Donation Page

True Life Mission Website

Gospel For India Blog

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5 Ways To Be Faithful With The Small Things

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It is the beginning of another year and I am not pleased with where I am. Maybe this does not happen with you, but I have let too many little things build up around me and remain undone. Rather than being faithful in the small things, I have not been as intentional as I like to be. I have felt “out of shape” as a result. Have you felt like this before?

faithful

Faithful With Small Things

While I am not a fan of typical New Year’s resolutions, I do want to take advantage of the opportunity for a fresh start. I will be taking some time over the next weeks to make some changes. As I go, I will share some of what I find.

I am doing this because I am determined to be faithful with the small things God has given me so that one day I can hear, “Well done!” But the reward is not only in those two precious words. The reward is also now, in this life. While it may not look like you think it should, I promise you it is available!

In fact, below I have listed five different ways you can be faithful with small things so that God can give you more in each area. Take a look at this list and see if any of the items could apply to you.

1. Spiritual disciplines

I list this item first because it is hands down the most important. We are to be faithful in prioritizing the time to spend with God on a daily basis. This time should be spent in a number of ways – reading Scripture, praying, meditating, journaling, etc.. There is not a one-size-fits-all formula for doing this, but I can tell when I am not faithful here.

If you will make the time to spend time with God in these ways on a consistent basis, He is sure to give back to you. You will receive wisdom, patience, joy, compassion, and a whole host of other qualities that are too numerous to count. Your relationships, with yourself and others, will improve dramatically. Try it and see what happens!

2. Giving

For many people, this is a sticking point. Maybe they tithe, but to give beyond that seems extreme. Most look at their income vs. their bills and determine that they have little to nothing left to give. I am not judging anyone on this. Each person has to determine in their heart what they will give – in fact God doesn’t want you to give more than that (2 Corinthians 9:7)!

At the same time, I believe it is our heart that needs to change. If we will determine in our hearts to give more – even out of the small resources we have right now – I believe God will add to our resources. He promised Abram to bless Israel in order for Israel to be a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:1-3). I think He has the same thing in mind for us.

3. Godly Treatment of Employees

When I have been to conferences and heard Christian leadersof huge businesses talk about all of the programs and benefits they provide for their employees, I get frustrated. I want to do the same for our employees. The problem is that our resources are so much smaller than those of the larger companies.

However, much like the argument for giving in #2 above, this is a poor excuse. Sure, a larger company can do more than a smaller one. The question is whether we are doing all we can for our employees with the resources we have available. If we are faithful in treating the employees we have with the resources available, then I believe God will increase both!

4. Application of Wisdom

I have met some wise people over the past 10 years or so. Some of them have so much wisdom that I feel weak in comparison. I have prayed for wisdom for many years and God has answered, but I still pale when compared to them.

At the same time, we have to ask ourselves if we have applied the wisdom God has given us already. Have we been faithful with the wisdom we have? If not, why should He give us more? If it is not being applied, then we are wasting it and do not deserve more! Instead, we are to be faithful with the small wisdom in order to receive more.

5. Use of Talents

Just like wisdom, God has given each of us a measure of unique talents and abilities. It is up to us to apply those talents and abilities in a way that advances His purposes and brings Him glory. Are we doing all we can with what we have been given or are we guilty of burying these talents? (Matthew 25:14-31)

If we are faithful with the talents He has given us, we will see that He will expand those talents. Maybe He will choose to increase the talents themselves or maybe He just will just expand their influence on those around us. It is up to God as to how He does this, but I promise He will bring increase.

Do feel you have been faithful with the small things you have been given?

Where do you need to be more faithful?

What other categories would you add to this list?

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Eternal Perspective: Would You Have Made This Choice?

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Quite often on this blog, you will read something I write about having an eternal perspective. I guess it is because I believe this perspective is so critical to our walk as followers of Jesus. Most of my examples of this eternal perspective come from my observations of life going on around us. Today, I want to look at a clear example in the life of Abraham.

eternal

Abraham’s Journey

If you have read much about Abraham (called Abram at this time) in Genesis, you know that God called him to leave his homeland and go to a place that God would name later. Abram left immediately, showing the strong faith for which he is known. Where he was going, he did not know. At the same time, he believed God would provide for him.

Fast forward to Genesis 13 and there is already trouble. Lot, Abram’s nephew, had gone on the journey with Abram and had a large clan of his own. It did not take long for the people with Lot and the people with Abram to begin quarreling. The area where they had stopped was not large enough for both groups. Something had to give.

Abraham’s Choice

Notice first that in Genesis 13:4, that Abram called on the name of the Lord in this place. Right from the start, Abram is not trying to make it on his own, but is seeking the Lord in all that he was doing. In the very next verse, the problem is described and Abram has to act.

What does he do? What would you have done in the same position? God has called Abram on a journey and he is the head of the family. He brought his nephew along for some reason, but there is no question that this is not a 50/50 partnership journey. Abram is clearly the authority in this scene.

However, he does the unexpected and offers Lot the first choice of land. He didn’t just consider Lot and carve out a little choice land for him. Abram actually gave Lot the opportunity to take the best land and leave him with the left-overs. Would you do that?

The Results!

What happens next is amazing! Lot scans the land and chooses the entire Jordan valley as his area. Then he separates from Abram with his people to settle in that area. As soon as Lot had separated and before Abram had a chance to move toward his new land, the Lord spoke to Abram:

“Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”
Genesis 13:14-17

Not only did God promise to bless him, but he also included the land Lot had chosen as part of His promise to Abram! How cool is that?!?!

Example Of Eternal Perspective?

Now, let’s stop and take a look at how these events give us an example of an eternal perspective.

First, take a look at God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3. Here, God promises Abram that He will make him into a great nation. God lays out what the future will look like for Abram and his offspring. Abram believed God and set out to follow His directions.

When later faced with what looked like a losing situation when his people were quarreling with Lot’s people, Abram did not worry. He did not try to make sure he held onto everything that he thought was rightfully his. He did not grab for the temporal wealth.

Looked Foolish At The Time

Instead, right after praying to the Lord, Abram made a decision that looked foolish at the time. He let Lot choose from the best of the land. This left Abram with what appeared to be the least of the land. At the same time, he trusted God for whatever He wanted to do.

Abram chose the eternal. He chose to believe God for the promise He made in Genesis 12:1-3. He chose to follow God’s leading with Lot. And he chose to trust God for the results. The amazing part is that God then expanded the promise and gave him back what he had just allowed Lot to take.

Similar Eternal Choices

Folks, we face choices like this every day. You can probably think of examples, but here is the biggest one I can imagine. God has promised us, His children, an inheritance that we cannot even imagine. He has promised us an eternity with Him where the reward is greater that we can handle with our minds.

In return, He asks us to surrender our temporal lives here and now to Him. We are to live this life sacrificially, keeping our eyes focused on the eternal reward. Like Abram, we are called to share what He has given us now for the benefit of those around us. We are to trust Him for what He thinks we need.

Let Go!

The problem is that unlike Abram, we don’t want to give up what we believe is rightfully ours right now. We want to hold onto the “choice land” – whether it is our businesses, our families, or our own pleasures and desires – and not give it up to Him. How is it that we think this is the better choice?

If we will instead turn over these temporal choices to Him and follow His lead, we will see that two things will happen. If we will do this, not only will we get the reward in eternity, but we will also experience a greater life here!

Do you see the “eternal” in decisions you face everyday?

Have you made the right choices from an eternal perspective?

How do you discern the choice between the temporal and eternal?