Receiving and Giving

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 30, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 25.

Receiving and Giving

It is a law of spiritual growth that the receiver must be a giver. He who accepts God’s gifts in order to retain them must dispense them. He who attempts to get without giving will grow poor. He who hopes to gather without scattering will find poverty awaiting him. God blesses that we may bless. He gives of His own radiance, His own riches, His own life, that we may be lights to those in darkness, riches of grace to those in poverty, and may carry the bread and water of life to dying souls.

God imparts to us life, that we may live and grow and shed beauty, fragrance, and fruitage on other lives. He makes us righteous that we may do righteousness. And he who long lives contrary to the law of his spiritual being, constantly receiving and never giving, will become a spiritual dyspeptic, to die with spiritual heart disease. There should be many precious seasons of waiting on Christ, of drinking from the fountain, of feeding on the heavenly manna, but these seasons must be followed by active labor for Christ, by patient, faithful living, by godly words and deeds, by winning souls for Christ, if we would grow up into Christ, our living Head. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” This is God’s law of the abundant life for the Christian.