"Life or Death Style"

It’s a lifestyle or a deathstyle,

That we choose to live,

And what it all boils down to,

Is if we take or give.

If all your life is taking,

Getting all you can,

No matter love or money,

If that is all you plan.

You’ll find it slowly kills you,

And robs you of your peace,

It binds you up in burdens,

And there is no release.

And that’s ‘cause if you own it,

It always owns you,

And life when you control it,

Becomes so hard to do.

We think we'd make a better,

God than God Himself,

And if you are a taker,

Life slips right off His shelf.

But if you are a giver,

You show you know His love,

The selfishness that kills you,

Is drowned by God above.

We go under like His bury,

We come up to walk anew,

The great proof it has happened,

We give, don’t take, it’s true.

And if you are a steward,

Of good things in your hand,

You really can enjoy them,

According to God’s plan.

And that’s because you see it,

It all is owned by Him,

And you are free to give it,

‘Cause it’s all His to lend.

Be a giver, not a taker,

You’ll have more than you need,

A full productive harvest,

And more to plant some seed.

“…God loves a person who gives cheerfully…” (2 Cor. 9:7, NLT)

Okay, we know God loves everybody, right? But this verse is saying that God takes pleasure in someone who gives cheerfully. First, they give. Which means they not only give money, but time, attention, love, effort, service- whatever. And second, when they do, they do so because they have a generous spirit. Not in a complaining, obligatory, grudging way. But gladly and joyfully. Why? Because their own generosity springs from the generosity of God. They get excited about the next opportunity to give something, and do so without strings, entitlement, or expectation of recognition. In fact, Jesus said one of the things the Father would reward is when people actually give in secret, without calling attention to themselves. You can only do that if you are learning to die to your self and live for Him. But when we do, it becomes the greatest adventure of all!

Lord, teach us to be cheerful givers, and not takers, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by Claire Porter, claireporterphotography.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Claire, and God bless you.