Proverbs 11:24 & 25
“24 – There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”
A false doctrine has crept into many assemblies, which may have been sound in years past, which teaches that spirituality is entirely singular. They imply that everything that you receive, in both spiritual and physical gifts from God, is meant solely for your personal edification. Taken at face value, this thought may seem to hold water; but, to the learned in scripture and those that have walked after the Spirit, this teaching is fundamentally flawed.
While there is no doubt that God will reveal what you require to grow spiritually and will provide that which is necessary to sustain you physically, the concept that such blessings are insular to only yourself is utter malarkey. Certainly, the Spirit will illuminate the Word to teach you, strengthen you, comfort you and propel you forward! But the belief that these blessings are solely for you will cause you to neglect one of the most important duties of a Christian.
The doctrine of ministering is so frequent throughout the entirety of the bible and one cannot minister while hoarding that which God has blessed them with. How can we be fitly framed together in the body of Christ, as the local church, without ministering unto those with whom we are joined? Does anyone truly think that it is possible to bear one another’s burdens without simultaneously ministering to the laden brother that we seek to relieve? How does someone expect to share the gospel without ministering to the needs of a lost person’s soul?
The reason that this isolationist view of Christianity has become so popular is because ministering takes effort and sacrifice. Doing nothing is always easier than doing something. But let us examine what we actually “sacrifice” when ministering. Are you afraid of giving away all of your blessings from God? The Bible makes it evident that God blesses those that minister to the needs of others by pouring out blessings that must be pressed down, shaken and still bubble over. Are they afraid of sacrificing the time or energy? I find numerous examples in the Bible of people who minister as God’s servants being counted among the most joyous and energetic among the brethren. So if the concept of “losing something” is overruled by the Bible, why do people enjoy being Scrooges when it comes to ministering? Simply put, because of pride.
Those that take the seed God has blessed them with, and sow it into the lives of others through ministering, shall find that they are blessed with even more seed that they originally had. Those that hoard more than is necessary to sustain them shall find that they will soon have nothing. Those that are happy to share the fullness of God with others shall be made fat with joy and shall be watered on the day that they need drink.
Always be cognizant that what you studied today from the Word may not be solely for you. Be sure to meditate on what was preached in the sanctuary because God may intend for you to carry part of the message to another. Never forget that we were taught by Christ to minister to others as we shoulder our cross and follow after Him. Don’t be a Spiritual Scrooge, be a Christian and minister.
Your fellowservant in Christ,
Bro. Jordan Foster
Comments