“It Is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive”
By GEO. I. BUTLER.
These are the words of our Lord and Saviour. They are true words, and embody momentous principles that lie at the very foundation of God's work in the earth. What is this life as set before us in the Bible? It is a probation; a brief period of time given to all that live, to determine what is their conception of its nature. It is a stepping-stone to all who seek to make it so, to a greater and far higher life than this, which measures with the life of God. Wise people will seek to get the very best results possible out of this “brief period between two eternities.” The Bible is the only book that furnishes a true view of life. In saying this, of course, we are not speaking of treatises drawn from the Bible, endeavoring to make clear and enforce its precepts. The Bible is the only book from which spring the wells and streams of salvation, the living waters of which if we partake, we shall never thirst, and which are ever springing up unto everlasting life. Its truths are the only hope of the world. Which is the true philosophy of life? Is it to acquire all we can get? Or is it to disseminate, diffuse, and do all the good that we can? Was Christ's life the proper one for us to imitate? Or should it be that of an Astor or a Rothschild or a Rockefeller, et al? The one is the godlike life seen in the mission of Christ our Redeemer; the other is the embodiment of selfishness. Christ tells us, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do we believe it? If we do, we are truly trying to follow the instruction that he gives. Actions5speak louder than words. It is more “blessed.” “Blessed” means to make happy or joyous, imparting bliss or felicity. In short, the Saviour's statement necessarily implies that conferring blessings upon others brings greater joy into our hearts than to receive those blessings ourselves. This statement is true by actual experience. Who are the happiest persons in this world? — Surely benevolent souls who are always doing good. Did you ever see a supremely happy selfish man? Are rich misers who are always gathering and never giving, happy people? They are the most wretched people in the world. Stagnant pools are not inviting. Selfish souls are far from being interesting, agreeable, or lovable. We are looking for the fruition of all our hopes. True Seventh-day Adventists are not transgressing the command, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” Because one works hard, acquires property, and abundant means passes through his hands, by no means necessarily implies that he is laying up treasures on the earth. To “lay up” is defined “to store, or deposit for future use,” etc. One who is industrious makes money with which to do good to others and wherever the cause of God needs it. Such a one is doing just what the Lord would have him do. He is like a stream coming up out of the earth and constantly blessing others. This is a very different use of life from that of the one who acquires means for the purpose of storing it up so that he can put his trust in it and feel that he is abundantly provided for. The Saviour tells us of such a one in Luke 20:15: “Beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Would that we all could believe it.) “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” What a lesson that is for the poor rich to consider! Suppose when this rich man's fields brought forth so plentifully, he had said: Now I have a great plenty and can help others a great deal. I can be a help to others who are very needy, and can help the cause of God. Would the Lord then have said to him, “Thou fool”? Not a soul of us could be made to believe it. He would rather have said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” The fact that he was a rich man was not the occasion for the loss of his soul. It was because, when he had plenty, he used it selfishly and covetously, piling up his treasures that he might have a jolly time in eating and drinking. Because he did this, the Lord calls him a “fool,” that is, a man who acts contrary to good sense. Selfishness is never a sensible thing. We should be like Christ, a stream through which blessings should flow to others. Then our hearts would be watered from the river of life. Is it possible that there are any Seventh-day Adventists who are imitating this man whom Christ calls a fool? Are they spreading out their possessions, banking their money capital, grasping their bonds and notes, speculating to increase the filthy lucre that is already endangering their souls? Can we suppose that the Saviour has changed his mind any in regard to covetousness? What is covetousness? — It is loving this world more than we love Christ. Christ is shut out, and the love of money takes the place he should fill. This is why covetousness is called idolatry. Can an idolater be saved? — By no means, unless he ceases to be an idolater and repents of his covetousness. The greatest blessing that can come to those who love this world too well is to furnish them with better objects than self and mammon upon which to bestow their means. Such calls as the $150,000 fund should be prized as special blessings. God's precious cause needs help. Most worthy objects greatly needing help are held out before our people. Souls will be saved eternally if these schools and sanitariums and other institutions are put in condition to do their noble work. The cause is languishing for the money called for. Supplying it is emphatically missionary work. If our sanitariums and our schools are not missionary institutions, we know not what are. They are ministering to the needs of the suffering and sick and unfortunate. They are teaching needy children, replacing ignorance with knowledge, preparing the poor and ignorant to lead useful lives. If these are not blessings that we ought to use our means to impart, then we would never know what was good, needy, and important. The $50,000 for the South is now raised and mostly expended. None but those in the South can realize what a wonderful relief this means has been to the suffering cause here. Now, we do not want to slacken our efforts until the other institutions, which are just as precious in God's sight, are also blessed with the streams of blessing that financial help will bring. May God help all our people to feel interested in the blessed work, put their shoulders to the work of lifting the burdens as they come to us, that at last they may hear it said, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” GEO. I. BUTLER.