Hebrews 13:16 NLT *"And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God*".
THE SACRIFICE OF SHARING
Imagine two farmers. Rain falls on both farms. One farmer uses the rain to water only his farm and blocks the water from entering his neighbour's dry farm. The other farmer digs a channel so the water flows to his neighbour's farm too. Which farmer will God be happy with?
The second, sacrifice is sharing. It means you don't hold everything to yourself. In Romans 12:13 says, *"Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality*"(BSB).
The attitude of sharing in the early church account for the reason they had no poor person among them. They practiced a kind of communal living that has remained unmatched ever since. I stand to be corrected on this.
Acts 2:24 says, *"And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]*"(AMP).
Sharing your food, your clothes, your money, your knowledge with those in need is a sacrifice on God's altar. How those in other religion value sharing more than some believers still baffles me. They copied it from us and magnified it. They made it one of their cardinal doctrines yet we do not emphasize it because we have been consumed with the syndrome of "Me" alone.
Many of us pray, "God bless me" but when God blesses us, we eat alone. That does not please God. If you have no one you are blessing or raising with your substance, you are not pleasing God on this matter. There are numerous people in the body of Christ that can rise through your generosity.
There are thousands of missionaries labouring in different parts of rural Africa struggling to eat and pay their children's fees. They are not lazy but the call of God placed them in a location where the economy is not just favourable for profitable engagement in commerce. Instead of doing frivolous "give away" as it is called, why not search them out and be a blessing to them?
We don't have any excuse for not sharing with the saints. It is a command right old testament into the new. Paul says, *"Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith*"( Galatians 6:10 NLT).
I heard about a woman who stopped her household from taking milk. She diverted her budget for milk into missions. Sharing may cost you. You may have to reduce your cloth to give one out. You may have to share your small salary. But Hebrews says, THAT is the sacrifice that pleases God.
*Why does this sacrifice please God*?
Because God Himself is good and He is a giver. When you do good and you share, you are behaving like your Father. You are showing His picture to the world.
An animal on the altar in the Old Testament showed "God, I am sorry for my sins." But doing good and sharing today shows "God, I have your nature in me."
Today, God is not asking for your goat. He is asking for your goodness and your open hands.
Father, I receive the grace to do good and share with others in Jesus name.