Simply by virtue of the fact that you're able to sit in front of a computer and read this blog is testimony that you are abundantly blessed! It might not seem like it with today's fragile economy. After all, it was just a short while ago when we could spend $100.00 and bring home a trunk full of food. Nowadays you're fortunate if we're able to bring home half of that amount. Nevertheless we're blessed with abundance. Your abundance might not be the same as mine. Yours might be in clothing, whereas I happen to have an abundance of books. Some abundance is intangible, such as wisdom or talent. Right now you might not recognize your abundance. Perhaps your bank statements don't reflect abundance, or maybe a turbulent climate in your household or on the job has clouded your ability to recognize your overflow. If that is the case it might not look like it, it certainly doesn't feel like it and as you read this you might be composing a list of "have nots" to refute my claim. Before you do that, take inventory of your blessings, both tangible and intangible.
So you say alright Venus, I've taken inventory and yes you're right, I have a lot of ____ and quite a bit of ____. Now what? I still don't have... peace on the job, money to pay my tuition, etc. To that I pose a question to you. What are you doing with your abundance? Hoarding it? Sitting on it? How about blessing someone with your overflow? It's a way to show the Lord your appreciation for the abundance He has blessed you with.
The Lord has this wonderful way of blessing us when and where we least expect Him to. A while back, I was an independent sales representative for a cosmetics company. I kept quite a bit of my inventory on the built-in shelves and cabinets in my home office. When I decided to end my cosmetics sales career, I still had a large amount of inventory that I couldn't possibly keep for personal use and I wanted to reclaim my shelves for books (and to expand my teapot collection). My first thought was to have some sort of clearance sale, but instead the Lord brought to mind that there are women in shelters who could be blessed with those items so I got on the telephone and contacted a wonderful organization here in Detroit that provides temporary housing to women who are victims of domestic violence. Upon speaking with the director of the facility I shipped several boxes of cosmetics. A short time afterward I received a very touching letter from the shelter, thanking me on behalf of their guests. The director shared with me that the women were delighted to receive those small but uplifting items, mostly because it let them know that someone cared about them. I, in turn am can truly boast of being continuously blessed with both spiritual, and natural abundance. As the saying goes, I might not have everything that I want, but I have everything that I need...and then some.
How about you? Is there a there a cluttered drawer or closet you've been promising to purge? Do you have an extra hour per week to visit a lonely senior or to volunteer to read at a pre-school? You might have an abundance of knowledge in a particular subject that you can pass on to someone else for their benefit.
Our generous heavenly Father has established a phenomenal principle of reciprocity. Bear in mind that abundance doesn't necessarily translate into houses and land or dollars and cents, mine certainly doesn't. Sometimes He repays us with the feeling gratification that only comes when you've know you've sown good seeds into someone else's life. That as they say, is priceless.
Split Second Bible Lesson
Those counted among the poor were the needy, the weak and those who were dependent - the orphans and the widows who were usually in the lower social classes and in need of protection from abuse and neglect. Virtually every prophet of the Old Testament prophesied against those who wrongfully oppressed the poor.
God provided for the poor through His principle of gleaning. Landowners were instructed to leave the remaining grain around the outer perimeters of the fields for the poor to gather. The courts, too, were admonished to deal justly with the poor.
Every Christian will be held accountable for how she has responded to those in need. One of the ways to judge relationship to Christ is how we respond to the hungry, the lonely, the naked and the low in spirit.
The first step to having our own needs met is to become poor in spirit recognizing that every heart separated from God is in spiritual poverty, which is far more tragic than physical poverty. The Lord has promised to provide freely for His children...and He uses us as conduits to provide those blessings one to another in time of need.
Read: Jer. 22:13-16, Matt. 25:31-46, and Acts. 6:1-6
