What do you collect? Here are the top 8 items that people collect that are the most valuable: coins, currency, stamps, sports cards, autographs, comic books, toys, and vinyl records.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:20-21: “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The treasure we will have in heaven is of the ultimate value. Earthly treasures are not inherently bad; it’s just that they have no ultimate value either.
The context of Acts 20:35 is this… Paul was traveling and had come to Miletus and called for the elders of Ephesus. Paul gave them a long speech and reminded them that he held nothing back that was spiritually profitable to them. He taught them publicly and from house to house. He will say in 20:26 that he was “innocent of the blood of all men.” Paul warns the elders that false teachers will arise from among them, teaching error, and will draw away followers after them. At the end of that long discussion, Paul said in verse 35: “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
But it seems to me that the teaching of Acts 20:35 is not hardly believed in our modern times: Is it more blessed to give than to receive? Across the board, research shows that people who claim to be Christian – across the board – give between 3-5% of their income. That shows that we simply do not trust the words of Jesus: It is more blessed to give than receive.
We love our family by constantly doing things for them.
Can a father love his family if he spends all his time and money on himself?
Does a man really show his love to God if he gives God the scraps out of his wallet?
God knows that if we are always on the receiving end, we tend to become warped and selfish. But if we give often and we give generously, our spiritual heart is enlarged and our Christian character develops more like Jesus.
Until we can honestly say that it is more blessed to give than to receive, we have not reached maturity when it comes to Christian stewardship.
If we want to grow, we will share what we have with others.
Paul Holland
