What You Give Lives
A good way to judge a man is by what he says. A better way is by what he does. The best way is by what he gives. Elizabeth Bibesco said, “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.” The big problem is not the haves and have-nots — it’s the give-nots. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and so does everyone else.
The secret to living is giving. Charles Spurgeon said, “Feel for others — in your wallet.” An Indian proverb says, “Good people, like clouds, receive only to give away.” In fact, the best generosity is quick. When you give quickly, it is like giving twice. R. Browne says, “Whatever God does in your life is not so you can keep it to yourself. He wants you to give to others.” When you give only after being asked, you have waited too long.
The Bible says in Acts, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (20:35). Giving is always the thermometer of our love. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “When you cease to contribute, you begin to die.”
Getters don’t get happiness. Givers get it. When you live for another, it’s the best way to live for yourself. John Wesley advised, “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” That’s a good formula for a successful life.
The Swiss say, “A greedy person and a pauper are practically one and the same.” When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing. Greed always diminishes what has been gained. Mike Murdock says, “Giving is proof that you have conquered greed.”
A lot of people are willing to give God the credit, but not too many are willing to give Him the cash. Don’t cheat the Lord and call it savings. The trouble with too many people who give until it hurts is that they are so sensitive to pain.
If you have, give. If you lack, give. G. D. Bordmen said, “The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow.” It is true: people who give always receive.
Henry Drummond said, “There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.” The test of generosity is not necessarily how much you give but how much you have left. Henry Thoreau said, “If you give money, spend yourself with it.” The secret to living is giving.