One of the great blessings a Christian can experience comes when we give of our time and our finances to bless another person. Sacrificial giving can come in many forms but the scriptural principle that undergirds all forms of giving is the same and can be found in (Acts 20:35): “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And when we give of our time, talents, and treasury to others with a cheerful heart get ready to receive amazing joy. Not only that but we bring glory to God and gain the approval of our heavenly Father in the process, for we read: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
As I have studied this whole area of joy I believe we are wired by the Lord to receive joy as a by-product of our sharing of our resources with others; and this includes sharing not just the gospel. On a personal note, my daily website devotional posts, which take a lot of my time to write and share each day, bring me an amazing amount of joy knowing that I am hopefully being an encouragement to other Christians. In addition, I have met many wonderful people through my website which brings me additional joy. This ministry is indeed a labor of love for me and the sacrifice in time spent is well worth my efforts. I love what R. C. Sproul shared regarding this: “Hold your possessions so loosely that when they are lost in the sacrifices of love, your confidence in a supreme Treasure in heaven will fill you with joy.”1
In their marvelous book, Fearfully and Wonderfully – The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image, authors Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey, share one of the most profound statements I have ever heard on joy. I ask you to take a few moments to contemplate on their amazingly insightful thought: “I have learned that service also opens up levels of personal fulfillment far exceeding any others. We are called to self-denial, not for its own sake but for a compensation we can obtain in no other way.”2 I believe that one facet of this compensation is Christian joy. So, as a Christian, the next time you choose to practice self-denial in the form of sacrificing your time, talents, and treasury for others, get ready to experience amazing joy both in the present and in the future!
I like to call the joy and other blessings we get through sacrificial giving and the people we help along the way “the treasure principle.” (Matthew 6:19-21) gives us a good definition of this principle: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Randy Alcorn, in addition, shares the following “treasure principle” insight: “When you leave this world, will you be known as one who accumulated treasures on earth that you couldn’t keep? Or will you be recognized as one who invested treasures in heaven that you couldn’t lose?”3
Sacrificial giving and self-denial sometimes are the only way to receive a host of blessings. True contentment, real peace and joy, a good name, and the praise of the Lord, are just some of the blessings that come through acts of self-denial for the Lord’s sake. When you do things for personal gain the world may applaud you one minute but forget about you shortly thereafter. However, when you do things for Christ and others, be prepared to hear these wonderful words found in the Parable of the Talents: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” (Matthew 25:21). My friends sacrificial giving and self-denial are truly the pathway to true fulfillment and assure us of accumulating great treasure in heaven!
1 Inspirational Quotes by R. C. Sproul – page 3 (bibleportal.com)
2 Brand, Dr. Paul; Yancey, Philip. Fearfully and Wonderfully (p. 64). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.