Everyday Heroes: Unheralded Givers

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

Everyday heroes are quiet givers, who seek no personal praise or glory. Their donations are only known by God: surely not on buildings or scholarships.

Consider those who gave to Christ Himself: 

  • Like the owner of the donkey He rode for His entry into Jerusalem,

  • Or the householder of the upper room, where He and His men ate their Last Supper,

  • Or uncounted anonymous donors of the coins used to support their travels.

A small handful are highlighted by name, which is the Lord’s choice, but the rest are NOT!  

Didn't Judas betray lots of givers, not only devastated by Christ’s death, but also by the misuse of their gifts? (How can we know our own gifts aren’t misused?)

  • Devastated? Surely. Betrayed? Maybe.

  • But rewarded immeasurably? YES!

Here's the thing: When we give, the Lord repays. It's a stand-alone, come-what-may promise, fully independent of middle men:

'Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you' (Luke 6:38).

But why should we give anonymously? Jesus lays it out:

'Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly' (Matthew 6:1-4).

Unheralded, anonymous giving is a GUARANTEE of success to come.

Everyday Heroes:  (Part 14)

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God–  to multiply them in the world for His glory.

P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.

WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!

Carey Arban