Philippians 4:14-25
Last week we saw that as Paul closes out his letter to the Philippians that he reveals to us that the reason for writing the letter was a gift that they had sent to him. The gift gave Paul the opportunity to write and share the heart of God with them. In the first half of the last chapter Paul teaches the principles of contentment, martyrdom and strength, He can do all things through Christ because He has already counted all things as loss for the greatness of knowing Christ. Paul gives thanks for the gift that he has received but then he begins to teach us a very important truth about giving and receiving. In Acts 20:35 Paul quotes Jesus as saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” What exactly does that mean? When and how are we supposed to give and if giving is better how are we supposed to receive? Paul made this statement when he was having his last interaction with the believers from Ephesus for the last time. In fact, according to Luke, after he made this statement Paul knelt and prayed with the saints, they wept freely, fell on his neck and kissed him knowing that this would be the last time that they would see his face. As a pastor I find it very interesting that Paul chose to teach about giving in the last time that he would ever see the Ephesians, there are times in which I try to avoid teaching on giving but here Paul is giving it major importance. I think that statement that Paul made just before he quoted Jesus helps us to put all of this in better context, Paul said, “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.” There are many aspects to giving and many mindsets that enter into our giving but what are the pure ones? Are we supposed to give according to need? Out of obligation or rule? From our abundance or from our lack? These are all questions that come up for all of us at one time or another they deserve answers but I’m not convinced that the answers are easy when we go question by question, I believe there may be one answer to cover all of these points, we give because God has given, we love because God has loved and we even receive because God has received us. The joy of giving is not in the gift, the giver or the receiver; it is in the opportunity to be imitators of God as dearly loved children and reflectors of His glory and His lov.