Give it Away!

"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want."

Proverbs 11:24

There is a saying that those of us in the world of recovery are familiar with.  The saying goes, 'you gotta give it away to keep it.'  Now in the recovery world what this means and what this saying emphasizes is the fact that recovery is a gift.  A gift that was given to us freely, and for those of us who have chosen to accept that gift and embrace it, we know what a beautiful gift it is.  But, the only way to keep the beautiful new life we have in recovery is to give it away to somebody else.  Therefore, keeping us rooted the fundamental basics of recovery, and giving us a humble reminder of how it all started for us, as a free gift.  Now it is always nice to receive gifts.  This certainly can bring some temporary joy and happiness into our lives.  However, I think the way the world, and our culture in particular operates, we have been seared into materialism.  Meaning that we have been taught and have it seared into our minds that the true joy is in getting the gift.  We have grown up in a society that tells us the more we have the better our lives will be, and therefore, the more happiness we will feel.  This is simply not true.  The more we have, the more we want.  This is part of the human condition.  We were never created to be lavished by the things of this world, that is why we are never satisfied with them.  We were created and intended to be in communion with God, until sin came in the fall.  This is why we find true contentment, peace, joy, and rest in those things that are spiritual in nature.  It takes the guidance of the Holy spirit to give freely and abundantly.  In second Corinthians 9:7 Paul says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  The "growing all the richer" the proverb above speaks about is not material things, although certainly that can happen to, but we grow richer when we give freely and abundantly because we are giving from our hearts.  When you read this verse in the natural we tend to think the growing richer evolves more money or possessions coming our way, but if we are giving freely and cheerfully from our heart, then we will grow richer in peace, rest, joy, and grace in our lives.  You ever have the pleasure of making someone so joyful with a gift you gave them?  Can you pause for a moment and consider the pure joy they felt?  What about the pure joy that you felt by being a part of their joy and happiness?  Giving freely doesn't involve just monetary things and resources, we can be cheerful givers with our time, our energy, our patience, our listening ears, and our caring hearts.  Today, pray and ask God who it is in your life that you should be giving freely to.  Ask that the Holy Spirit guide people into your life for you to give your time, energy, action, and love to.  And thank the Lord for the opportunity for you to grow all the richer for it!  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!