“It is better to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

When I was a child my grandmother gave me a gift I will never forget. It was an AFX slot car set with tiny indy cars and what seemed like miles of track to go with them. Excited beyond belief I was soon overwhelmed with how to put the maze of track together and get racing. Thankfully, Uncle Vern (yes the same Uncle Vern whom I wrote about previously in these devotional pages), was there to dive in and assemble. Somehow I remember the hug I gave my grandmother after receiving this gift with a thank you whispered in her ear. Her response was a simple ‘you’re welcome’, but her eyes were wet. Today, looking back I realize her emotion came from the effects the broken home her son, my father, was having on us all at the time. Giving was my grandmothers way of saying

I Care.

In Acts 20:35 Paul is actually quoting Jesus in saying it is more blessed to give than to receive. Giving to others, whether tangible gifts, or love and affection, has a very real effect on the lives of those you touch. Most of all, you will instantly be infected with the desire to give more. For you cannot give yourself away without being changed for the better. I’m sure you have been hurt in giving yourself away in the past. We all have. Past hurt should never stop you from loving others for there are blessings of overflow waiting in your giving.