<p>A young couple were stranded in a big storm at night. Their car broke down. They desperately looked for a place to stay. They found an old rickety and dingy, dark farm house. <br /><br /></p>.<p>An old couple emerged with a kerosene lamp. On their request for accommodation for the night, the old lady said: “We have a small bedroom to accommodate you. I hope you can adjust and use it.” <br /><br />The young couple gratefully accepted the offer. In gratitude, while leaving early in the morning, the young couple placed a few dollars on the dressing table. <br /><br />But while leaving the place, they noticed that this elderly couple sacrificed their only bedroom they had and were sleeping on the haystack with the stench around it. <br /><br />The young couple went back to the bedroom and emptied their purses with a note of thanks for the great love and sacrifice the elderly couple had made for them. <br /><br />We have a passage in the Bible where a poor widow gave all that she had, to the temple because her love for God was so great and her spirit of charity was immense (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus together with His disciples observed this and commended her gesture.<br /><br /> He said people give out of their plenty, but she gave all she had.<br /><br />There are three types of ‘givers’. The first is the ‘grudge giver’ who in his heart says, ‘ I hate to give but I give’. <br /><br />The second types are called ‘duty givers’ who say in their hearts, ‘it is my religious obligation, so I give.’ <br /><br />The third are ‘thanks givers’, who say, ‘I give because I am thankful to God for all the blessings He has given me.’<br /><br />The ‘thanks givers’ receive the greatest blessings as the scriptures promise.<br /><br />“Give to others and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous help poured into your hands and all that can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you”. (Luke 6:38)<br /><br />There is a beautiful meditation:<br /><br />We ask God for a flower, He gives us a bouquet. We ask Him for a drop of water, He gives us an ocean. We ask for a grain of sand, He gives us a beach. We ask for a blade of grass, He gives us a beautiful lawn. <br /><br />If God could be so generous towards us despite our sinful nature, how much more should we be generous towards others; become a ‘thankful giver’.</p>
<p>A young couple were stranded in a big storm at night. Their car broke down. They desperately looked for a place to stay. They found an old rickety and dingy, dark farm house. <br /><br /></p>.<p>An old couple emerged with a kerosene lamp. On their request for accommodation for the night, the old lady said: “We have a small bedroom to accommodate you. I hope you can adjust and use it.” <br /><br />The young couple gratefully accepted the offer. In gratitude, while leaving early in the morning, the young couple placed a few dollars on the dressing table. <br /><br />But while leaving the place, they noticed that this elderly couple sacrificed their only bedroom they had and were sleeping on the haystack with the stench around it. <br /><br />The young couple went back to the bedroom and emptied their purses with a note of thanks for the great love and sacrifice the elderly couple had made for them. <br /><br />We have a passage in the Bible where a poor widow gave all that she had, to the temple because her love for God was so great and her spirit of charity was immense (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus together with His disciples observed this and commended her gesture.<br /><br /> He said people give out of their plenty, but she gave all she had.<br /><br />There are three types of ‘givers’. The first is the ‘grudge giver’ who in his heart says, ‘ I hate to give but I give’. <br /><br />The second types are called ‘duty givers’ who say in their hearts, ‘it is my religious obligation, so I give.’ <br /><br />The third are ‘thanks givers’, who say, ‘I give because I am thankful to God for all the blessings He has given me.’<br /><br />The ‘thanks givers’ receive the greatest blessings as the scriptures promise.<br /><br />“Give to others and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous help poured into your hands and all that can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you”. (Luke 6:38)<br /><br />There is a beautiful meditation:<br /><br />We ask God for a flower, He gives us a bouquet. We ask Him for a drop of water, He gives us an ocean. We ask for a grain of sand, He gives us a beach. We ask for a blade of grass, He gives us a beautiful lawn. <br /><br />If God could be so generous towards us despite our sinful nature, how much more should we be generous towards others; become a ‘thankful giver’.</p>