Abram Gives Rather Than Taking
They say that life is about give and take. Author Mark Twain once said this: "The principle of give and take is the principle of diplomacy—give one and take ten."
I think that's become the norm of the world - give one and take ten. What can I get? Rather than what can I give?
We see it all around us, especially in the so-called Western world, these days. There is an attitude prevailing in our culture that says "get" rather than "give".
The God Way Is Different
But the God way is different. In fact Paul records, in Acts 20:35, that Jesus Himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." For Jesus there was certainly no "give one, take ten". There was more giving, and less receiving.
Abram lived long before Jesus, but in Genesis 14 we see that he is not a "give one, take ten" sort of man. But in fact, he is a man who seems to know that it's more blessed to give than to receive.
We read that a war broke out between nine kings - five local rulers against four powerful eastern kings. When the eastern coalition won, they seized all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah, including Abram's nephew Lot. When Abram heard this, he rallied 318 trained men to pursue the victors, and ended up recovering everything.
Two Kings, Two Responses
After his victory, Abram encountered two kings. Melchizedek, who was the king of Salem and priest of God Most High, blessed Abram and brought bread and wine. Abram immediately gave him a tenth of everything. Then the king of Sodom offered Abram all the recovered goods, saying "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." But Abram refused, saying that he made an oath to God to accept nothing from this evil king.
You know, as war broke out, Abram could have just taken his stuff and gotten out! But his mindset was not "let me see what I can get". It was "Let me see what I might give".
And his giving not only made a good impact in his own life, but we are all blessed by his decision as children of Abram all these years later.
As you begin your week, consider your way of life. Are you a "give one, take ten" type of person? Or a "rather give than receive" person?
Abram, and Jesus Himself, encourage us to give rather than receive.
