If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? — 1 John 3:17
God knows that our hearts are smaller than His. He knows that there is only so much room for grief, for empathy, for love. And our money, which is really just an expression of our hearts, is also limited.
That’s why God speaks to us. Some of us cry for single moms, others cry for children who are abused, still others cry for the "people of heaven" who live and die in North Korea’s slave labor camps. And our pocketbooks tend to follow our tears.
It is no sin to be emotional. It just becomes a problem when we try to make the next person cry for the same things we do. God is the One who shares a portion of His heart with each one of us.
A couple days ago I wrote about Schindler realizing the horrible cost of his material possessions. But I’d like to turn that around. Think about the great good God does every day through the pocketbooks of His people.
There is a wonderful freedom in all of this. I am not the world’s messiah. I just bring the Messiah to my little world.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.