our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Apr 22, 2017, 3:32:27 AM4/22/17

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The Gift of Giving

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion. 2 Corinthians 9:7

A pastor breathed life into the phrase “He’d give you the shirt off his back” when he gave this unsettling challenge to his church: “What would happen if we took the coats off our backs and gave them to the needy?” Then he took his own coat and laid it at the front of the church. Dozens of others followed his example. This was during the winter, so the trip home was less comfortable that day. But for dozens of people in need, the season warmed up just a bit.

When John the Baptist roamed the Judean wilderness, he had a stern warning for the crowd that came to hear him. “You brood of vipers!” he said. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:7–8). Startled, they asked him, “What should we do then?” He responded with this advice: “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same” (vv. 10–11). True repentance produces a generous heart.

Because “God loves a person who gives cheerfully” (nlt), giving should never be guilt-based or pressured (2 Cor. 9:7). But when we give freely and generously, we find that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive.

Lord, thank You for the many ways You bless us. Forgive us for so often taking Your goodness for granted. Show us what we have that we might use to bless someone else today.

Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

乐于给予

各人要随本心所酌定的，不要作难，不要勉强。-哥林多后书9章7节

一位牧师生动地诠释了“倾囊相助”的真谛。他在教会讲台上向会众发出了一个挑战，说道：“如果我们将身上的大衣脱下来，送给有需要的人，会带来什么样的影响呢？”话一说完，牧师便将自己的外套放在礼拜堂的正前方，接着许多人也纷纷仿效。当时正值隆冬，那一天这些人在回家的路上，可能就没有那么舒适了。但是他们的捐赠，对许多需要帮助的人而言，冬天会多了点温暖。

当施洗约翰在犹太的旷野传道时，他严厉地警告那些来听他传道的人说：“毒蛇的种类！……你们要结出果子来，与悔改的心相称”（路加福音3章7-8节）。众人震惊地问他说：“这样，我们当做什么呢？”施洗约翰给了他们这样的建议：“有两件衣裳的，就分给那没有的；有食物的，也当这样行”（10-11节）。显然，真实的悔改能带来宽厚之心。

“捐得乐意的人是上帝所喜爱的”，我们不应该因为内疚或压力而奉献（哥林多后书9章7节），只要我们慷慨大方地给予，便会发现，确实“施比受更为有福”。

主啊，谢谢祢以许多不同的方式赐福给我们。
求祢赦免我们，因我们常将祢的美善视为理所当然。
求祢让我们看见，我们所拥有的也可以成为别人的祝福。