Stewardship

God's Book has much to teach us about what God gives to us. It also tells us what we should give to God, His work, and to other people. God tells us that it brings more happiness to give things than it does to receive them. It is so easy for us to think only of ourselves, but this is not God's way.

First, the Bible teaches us what God gives to you and me. "For God so loved the world that he _gave_ His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God's Son created this world, you and me, and everything we see. Although we sinned, still God loved us (could not forget us). For this reason Jesus came down to this world to die for us on the cross. Jesus paid our debt of sin. He gave Himself for us. We cannot think, "this is not anything much (something nothing)!" This is God's greatest (number one) gift to us. It is good for us to say, "Thank you" often to God because He gave Jesus for us. Jesus defeated Satan and the grave. He alone has the power to take us to heaven. Heaven is also God's gift.

Secondly, the Bible teaches us that God gives us every good thing in the world. He gives us the sunshine and the rain. He gives us all of our food from our gardens. The wood, leaves and grass for our houses also come to us as a gift from God. Our husband, our wife, our children and our friends are all God's gift to us. This is God's way. He is always giving something to us every day. Now we must learn God's good way too. We must give things back to God as a "Thank you offering" to Him. We should also give to others in need.

Think of the ways of the heathen. In many places they bring money and food and give it to Satan or the spirits. They think that if they do this Satan will make their gardens grow well. Satan wants men and women to honor him, not God. The heathen do not know that only God makes their gardens grow, not Satan or the spirits.

Thirdly, the Bible says that we should give our hearts (lives) wholly to God. If we do not say, "God, I truly belong to you," the Lord does not want anything from us. First, He wants us to know and love (like) Him very much. Long ago God taught His people, Israel, how they should give something to Him and to other people. If they got ten shillings, they were to give one shilling to God. This was a "thank you offering" to God. God also taught His people to look after those who did God's work. And they were to care for the poor people and children who did not have a father. We who are Christians know that this is God's way. At this time God does not have a law saying that we must measure our giving. God says, "Every man can think in his own mind (heart) how much he would like to give to God. God likes very much those people who like to give generously to Him and to others." When we give to God and His work our hearts are happy because God blesses them.