GOLDEN LIVING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”…

Ahh…the old “GOLDEN Rule”

Jesus Himself encouraged us to live by “it”…

Matthew 7:12 (NLT) - "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

Yet often we get it reversed or at least "twisted".

We often DON’T DO for others UNTIL we know what they WILL DO for us.  I don’t give without some inkling of what I might get.  We sometimes are only benevolent for the potential future benefit.

Come on.  Don’t shake your head and say you haven’t engaged in that sort of "quid pro quo" thinking or action.  Do you need to repent a little?  Maybe I am the only one.

Our society is built on the barter and the deal. Many things ARE an exchange.  In order to get a solid cup of “joe” I need to exchange my cash for a little help from the local barista.

Yet when JESUS was articulating this rule He was coming at it from a VERY different angle.  We ARE to GIVE in a way that we would LIKE to receive, or do as we would like to be "done", but not IN ORDER to GET or be "DONE" right.  Rather Jesus just encouraged us to be proactive and generous and leave the reciprocation to the LORD.

…bless - that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. – 1 Peter 3:9 (MSG)

Sadly however we often look for reciprocity from those we are giving to, we look for good deeds in return for our own.  And often if we can’t guarantee the pending gift or the return of the favor we are reluctant to “do unto, give unto or bless unto.” Even though the LORD has given us a decidedly DIFFERENT plan for giving and doing for others. 

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full--pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."– Luke 6:38 (NLT)

The LORD reminds us that if we GIVE we WILL receive.  

He reminds us that HE has that part covered.

Bless and be blessed.

Give and you WILL receive. 

So our part of the equation is not to calculate the blessing or gift prior to giving, blessing or doing.  We are just to initiate and leave the “reciprocity” to GOD. 

And WHY NOT?

When He says that HIS gift will RUN over, when He says the MORE we GIVE the MORE He wished to GIVE?

Chopra once said, “If you contemplate the Golden Rule, it turns out to be an injunction to live by grace rather than by what you think other people deserve.”

I would GO one step further and it is also an injunction to GIVE with no expectation of “getting”.

Jesus said…

“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. Matthew 6:34 (MSG)

Catch that?

GOD’S GIVING…in other words DO and then rely on GOD to do for you.  Give and allow GOD to give to you.  Don't sweat the getting part.

Bless and GOD will bless you.

Let's DO and GIVE like that today... 

I love you ALL!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)