Chains of Blessings

Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ.

You’ve heard all your life that it’s better to give than receive. But most people don’t stop to think what that REALLY means. When you do something for someone else in their need, you get a blessing for doing that. But when someone tries to help you in your hour of need, you may try to refuse. Maybe you’re too proud, or don’t like being on the receiving end of charity. But here’s what you’re not considering – if you refuse the offer, you’re knocking the other person out of a blessing! So if you have the need, accept the offer. You will be blessed and the giver will be blessed. Then pay it forward when the opportunity arises. That way, even more people are blessed!

But when you do the giving, don’t do so indiscriminately. There sure are people who will take advantage. Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

I was once attending a small country church in a rural area. It was one of those churches with a few families attending, and the entire congregation was like one family.

One evening, I don’t remember if it was Sunday evening or Wednesday evening service – a visitor showed up. In a small church like that, a visitor really stands out.

It happens that my rent was due the next day, and I had the cash with me. Times were tight and I doubt I had enough extra to buy a cup of coffee.

The service hardly got started before the Holy Spirit told me to give that money to the visitor. “But that’s my rent money!”, I protested in my mind. I don’t think I heard a word of the sermon. I was too busy arguing with God! But He sure can be persistent.

The service ended. Usually, when there’s a visitor in a small church, everyone rushes to greet them. But wasn’t it funny. Everyone seemed to get momentarily busy with other things. If anyone had gotten to the visitor before I did, my courage would have failed me.

Heart pounding, I approached the person. I HATE approaching strangers for any reason, but a situation like that is even worse. I was so flustered, I didn’t even say hello or introduce myself. I did manage to smile as I held out the money and said, “This is a love gift”. They looked surprised for a moment, then took it. Was that gratitude and relief I saw pass over their face? I’m not sure; I turned around quickly, just in time to see the congregation starting toward the newcomer. I started walking away. I just wanted to escape the situation. I’m certain nobody saw me handing the person something. They didn’t even seem to notice me, which is how I liked it.

Of course I fretted that night. How was I going to pay the rent? I had no hope of raising the money within a matter of hours. But underneath the worry was the peace that passes understanding. I had obeyed God, and I knew He had something in mind.

I got up the next morning. The rent was due that day! What to do? God, it’s up to you. I did what you told me to do, now it’s your turn.

The mail came. In it was an unexpected hand addressed envelope. I opened it. My rent money! To the penny! There was an unsigned note: With Love. Someone knew me and knew my address. (In case you’re wondering, it was safe to send cash through the mail in the 70s. And anyhow, it was in God’s safekeeping).

See how that works? The person I gave money to could have gone on and blessed someone else. The person who gave me money could have done so because they were blessed. It becomes a chain of blessings when you let God get involved in the process.

This is how it was in the early Church – familiarize yourself with the Book of Acts. They took care of each other. Far too many churches have gotten away from this. But many of them still follow Christ’s teachings.

I’m sure you’ve seen the memes and news stories and social media posts about everyone paying for each other’s orders in a fast food line. Nice social gesture, but it doesn’t really mean anything. Paying it forward with God’s leading is what generates blessings – somebody helps you in a time of need, and in turn, you help someone else in their time of need.

But never give for the purpose of receiving. This is a trap. And since the advent of radio, followed by television, way too many people are duped by prosperity preaching. Even before any kind of electronic media existed, charlatans and con-men pretending to be ministers of the Word of God, would travel from town to town, holding tent meetings and raking in the profits, Now they’re on the internet.

I want to point out that there were genuinely sincere traveling preachers in the old days who only wanted to preach the Gospel. But most people knew little or nothing of the ways of the world and didn’t know the difference.

Who remembers Robert Tilton? He’s a prime example.

It must have been around 1990 that I discovered Robert Tilton’s daily TV show. I watched two or three days in a row, saw him for the fake he was, and quit watching.

He had isolated every Bible verse that had anything at all to do with giving, especially those that said when you give, you’ll receive. He spent a half hour every day going over those verses. Over and over ad nauseum.

Have you ever watched an infomercial or a shopping channel? The presenter will spend a half hour touting the features of some cheap gadget. They will say the same things over and over, only changing up the words. This is what Tilton did with his select handful of verses.

Some weeks after I watched that last show, I had something for sale; I don’t even remember what. But a very nice lady came to look at it, and we ended up sitting in my living room just visiting.

I don’t recall how the subject came up, but this lady started raving about what a wonderful preacher Robert Tilton was, and how she faithfully mailed checks to his ministry regularly.

I mentioned I didn’t watch his show, because all he did was ask for money. That statement momentarily startled her, then she recovered and continued her rave. I didn’t say anything else about him.

It wasn’t long after that when Tilton was investigated, and publicly outed as a fraud. I wondered about that lady, and how she took that. I wondered about all those people who had been faithfully sending him money, thinking they were supporting a Man of God. I hope it didn’t put a lot of people off to giving to worthy churches.

Just don’t fall for something like that. A preacher needs to TEACH the Bible. They need to be teaching you how to draw closer to God and grow spiritually.

I do want to point out – many preachers, including many televangelists, are truly doing God’s work. They’re not all trying to get rich. Just be discerning and prayerful about which religious shows to watch, and which church to attend.

Anyone who gives for the purpose of getting back more is greedy and acting unbiblically.

It is true that:

…give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.
—Luke 6:38

and:

…he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
—2 Corinthians 9:6–7

But never give to get. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Be alert to His voice, and He will tell you when and to whom.

You will get it back at some point. It may not be immediately. It may be some time in the future when something comes up and you’re in need. In the meantime, rest in the Lord, knowing He will bless you, and He will bless others through you.

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