I have heard this verse quoted all my life and I believe in its truth. As I was reading the other day however, I noticed the surrounding story. The apostle Paul was thanking the Philippians for the gifts they had sent to supply his needs. I believe that therein is the deeper truth. When we are being generous as God leads (even if we don't think we have enough to share) He then makes sure all of our needs are supplied as well. Generosity is a theme throughout scripture and one which I have seen lived out well in my life.
These hands--the giver and the receiver remind me of my grandma Mamie Mullins. My grandma raised a large garden. She and grandpa didn't need all those vegetables, but she knew others who did. It was a lot of work. My grandma had one leg shorter than the other for most of her life. She lived in pain (although I never knew this until probably after she died). It was not easy for her to dig and plant and weed and pick the produce, but she did. There were many family members as well as neighbors, church friends, pastors and others who were well fed from grandma's garden.
I don't have a garden. The most I've ever done is have some tomatoes in a couple pots on our patio (and my husband did all the work with them). But I do have something to share. When I'm shopping I can drop a $10 bill in someone else's basket. If the family ahead of me has to put something back because they don't have enough money I can ask the cashier to put it on my bill and give them the food. I can simply bless the young mother with two children ahead of me by paying for their groceries. My contribution doesn't have to look like my grandma's, but her generous spirit can live on. And her generosity came from a deep love of our Savior. That is the true spirit that she passed on.
Do you have a legacy of generosity behind you? If not, start one today. Let your generous spirit be the beginning of something your children and grandchildren will look back on and see the love of Christ in. Spread His love from your hands to theirs. Then watch Him meet all your needs as well.
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