Devotion #5: All We Have to Give Is Love
When you hear the word “giving” what comes to mind? In the church context, giving may immediately cause you to think of tithing or giving money. Closer to Thanksgiving, you may think of giving thanks. Possibly, if we were closer to Christmas, you would think of giving gifts. A list of all the ways in which we could give to others would be incredibly long. The reality is that there are many ways and items that can be given to others. Feelings and thoughts regarding giving can be extremely varied. Considering giving may cause some to feel anxious over feeling that they do not give enough or maybe wishing that what they gave was better. Some people love giving; it comes naturally, and it brings them joy. They have been blessed with much and love to give a portion of that to others.
As with so many other things in life, we can really overcomplicate the idea of giving. We can spend an abundance of time, energy, and money on things like considering gifts, selecting gifts, purchasing gifts, and preparing gifts for others. We may withhold giving to others out of fear. This can include fear of time, fear of commitment, fear of their reaction, and fear of us having enough after we give.
In Romans 13:8, Paul writes, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” In this verse, Paul reminds us of something that is commonly spoken of throughout the Bible. It is our call to love others. Jesus commanded in Matthew 22:37-39, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
So, what do these verses remind us of? They remind us that we are called to give love. We are commanded to show the love of Christ to others. We complicate this by overthinking or thinking we are called to give so many other things: advice, criticism, and our own opinions. While we are called to help others, like giving clothes and food to those in need, one of the biggest things we are called to give is love. Think about that today: who can you show love to?