A Book Of Remembrance: Wisdom From The AgesSample

“The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are made of the same water. It flows down, clear and cool, from the heights of Hermon and the roots of the cedars of Lebanon. The Sea of Galilee makes beauty of it, for the Sea of Galilee has an outlet. It gets to give. It gathers in its riches that it may pour them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. But the Dead Sea with the same water makes horror. For the Dead Sea has no outlet. It gets to keep.”

-Henry Emerson Fosdick-

In a brilliant analogy, Henry Emerson Fosdick paints a spectacular portrait of the effects of giving, or being generous, as opposed to the effects of taking only for yourself, or being greedy. Jesus Christ Himself said that it is better to give than to receive, as todays Bible verse shows. 

A giving lifestyle is the way of God. He gave His only begotten Son so that we may receive eternal life! (John 3:16) We should strive to live by that same tendency to give in every area of our lives.

It can definitely be hard work, but it most certainly pays off! 

So, for today, let us shed the light of God upon a cold and calloused world. Let us give warmth to the cold, food to the hungry, and direction to the lost. Let us provide instruction to those who are ignorant yet willing to learn, and provisions to those who cannot take care of themselves. Let us be a living witness of the prosperity that comes from living a productive life of hard work and good character. Let us be servants of all, and masters of none. Let us give life, so that true abundance, peace, and prosperity may be received by all.