p. 28 | WHO IS THE GIVER?

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 16, 1859

WHO IS THE GIVER?

PEOPLE not unfrequently act as though they considered all that they possessed their own; as though they had exclusive right to dispose of it as they pleased, and as though when they did contribute of their substance to the cause of the Lord, they had done something for which they were entitled to great credit themselves. Every one, of course, has the power to dispose of his property as he sees fit; but he has no right to use it, otherwise than as the word of God directs: to provide for his own, and to advance the cause of his Redeemer. It is hard for the worldly nature, of which we are all apt to possess more or less, to be required to yield up the treasures we have acquired, and doubtless dearly loved, even if we have the privilege of having a trumpet pretty thoroughly sounded before us; but to be required to yield them up, without having the credit of having done anything ourselves, is harder still. Nevertheless such seems to be the light in which the people of God anciently looked upon the matter. See 1 Chron. xxix, 14–16. We have in this chapter an account of the offerings the people made to king David for the erection of the temple at Jerusalem; and when he and they had contributed liberally of all manner of precious stones, and gold, and silver and brass and iron, what does David tell them? Does he give them credit for having done some great thing? On the contrary, he speaks as follows: "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own."

Here is the matter clearly spread out before us. All, of whatever we have or are, belongs to God. And however freely we may contribute of it to advance the cause of God, we do but give him what before came from his hand and is his own. It is with such feelings as these, that every one will be enabled to give, who does it with right motives and in a right spirit.