Acts 20:35 (ESV) In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. INTRODUCTION This is a rare instance of a saying of Jesus not found in the canonical Gospels. [NIV SB] These words of Jesus are not recorded in the Gospels. Obviously, not all of Jesus' words were written down (John 21:25); this saying may have been passed on orally through the apostles. [Life Application SB] COMMENTARY PEARLS The Blessing of Serving When you were a kid and your birthday or Christmas was approaching, you mostly thought about the gifts you would get. But as you got older, you started thinking less about what you would get and more about what you would give. Your outlook changes because you mature. And you discover there is joy in giving. In the same way, when we first become Christians, we want all that God had for us, and so we should. We go to church to learn, to take in, and that is great. But as the years pass, we realize that God wants to work through us as well. As a result, we want to give more than receive. Of course, we must always take in before we can give out. But at the same time, we discover the joy of giving, the joy of serving. The beautiful fringe benefit is that when we give, the Lord gives back to us. Jesus said, Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back (Luke 6:38 NLT). Why not commit yourself afresh to this blessed responsibility and privilege? Have you lived your life well so far? Or are you squandering it in an elusive search for happiness and forgetting God in the process? Instead of finding happiness, maybe youre finding misery. Thats because we find true happiness in knowing God through Jesus Christ. We dont find it in anything on this earth. We will find the true happiness that we seek in a relationship with God. The happy life is the life with God. So dont settle for some cheap imitation this world offers. Pursue the real thing. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] Try The Back Door The oft-used front door to happiness is the one described by the advertising companies: acquire and aspire to drive faster, dress trendier, and drink more. Happiness depends on what you hang in your closet, park in your garage, deposit in your bank account, experience in your bedroom, wear on your wedding finger, or serve at your dining table. It's wide, this front door to happiness. Yet for all its promise it fails to deliver. After all, we've all seen happy peasants and miserable millionaires, right? There is another option. It requires no credit card, monthly mortgage, or stroke of lottery fortune. It demands no airline tickets or hotel reservations. Age, ethnicity, and gender are not factors. You don't have to change jobs, change cities, change looks, or change neighborhoods. But you might need to change doors. The motto on the front door says "Happiness happens when you get." The sign on the lesser-used back door counters "Happiness happens when you give." Try the back door. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado] COMMENTARY "It is more blessed to give than to receive:" it seems they were words often used to his disciples. The opinion of the children of this world, is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing that can be; but Christ tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. It makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives from none; and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. [Matthew Henry Commentary] Generosity Our tendency as human beings is to want to get something. We enjoy it greatly when we are given something. But God's Word teaches us that it is better to give than to get. When we get something, we only get the gift, but when we give something, we get joy! God is a giver, and if we truly desire to be like Him, then it is important that we develop the habit of generosity. There are many ways to give. We can give help, encouragement, compliments, and material or financial gifts. We can also give mercy and forgiveness freely as God has given it to as. Most good things don't happen accidentally. We can purpose to do them, or "do them on purpose." Make a plan to give something today and every day. Be large-hearted, generous, abundant, and do more than you have to. Purpose to be a blessing everywhere you go, and you will find yourself being more blessed in many ways! Father, teach me to be a generous person at all times. Make me aware of the needs of others, and help me be willing to meet those needs. [My Time with God by Joyce Meyer] Generosity Leads to Joy Do you want to be known as a joyful person? I dont mean someone who is always happy. Thats just not possible. I mean someone who has the joy of the Lord, whose hope is not shaken by lifes ups and downs. A joyful person sees God at work, even in their trials. This is how you become a joyful person: Jesus said in Acts 20:35, There is more happiness in giving than in receiving (GNT). Ive always loved this verse because its so honest. Does Jesus say theres no happiness in receiving? No. There is happiness in receiving. But Jesus says theres more happiness in giving. Thats the exact opposite of the way the world thinks. Most of the world thinks theres more happiness in getting. The more you get, the happier youll be. But Jesus doesnt think like the world. He knows you are most like him when you are giving - and that giving produces joy. When people visit Saddleback Church, they notice its a joyful church. Do you know why? Because its a generous church. People love to give! And when youre generous, it results in joy. It feels good to give. God wants us as individuals and churches to be more generous, because it makes us more like him. He uses our giving to bless others. And, in turn, he uses our generosity to bless us. Do you want your family to be more joyful? Then be more generous as a family. Do you want to be a more joyful person? Then be more generous as a person. Your joy will be a light to those around you who do not know Jesus. Your generosity will be a blessing. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] ONE LINERS The one who gives is actually twice blessed. The world around you is a little better for the kindness, and the givers heart is blessed within. Alda Ellis Our most valuable possessions are those which can be shared without lessening; those which when they are shared, multiply. Our least valuable possessions are those which when divided are diminished. Hugh Prather Random Acts of Kindness: The opportunity to bless others is a gift from God that makes us at once human and divine. [www.adventist.org] Live simply that others may simply live. [source unknown] LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY Matthew 25:31-46 - The Parable of The Sheep and Goats; The Final Judgment. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210524-1002.html YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/