Daily Devotion, July 7, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 6:19-21.

Jesus’ words in Matthew’s gospel quickly remind me of stories of faithful and kind individuals who understood what Jesus was saying. Each of these individuals recognized the grace they had received and were investing their hearts and lives helping others:

A faithful and kind person began taking my Mom to church, when my Mom was only thirteen and her Dad had just died. She then mentored my Mom through her youth years, helped her go to college, and helped her obtain her Master’s in Christian Education to later serve in churches.

  

Always a faithful and kind person in the church, in his early retirement years, this individual helped to begin the Habitat for Humanity organization for the small city. His own story was that he had grown up in an orphanage and he was very grateful for everyone who had helped him to know Jesus and had been kind to him through the years. Now he also wanted to help others, especially to have a home of their own.

After a worship service, a faithful and kind person came to me and said, “I want to help any of the youth who can’t afford to go to the United Methodist’s Resurrection Event.” This kind person said, “I couldn’t afford to go to church camp when I was a small child and someone in the church gave money so that I could go. That camp experience made all the difference in my life!”

They recognized the grace they had received from God in Christ was “costly grace” and also gave to others with a heart and spirit of thanksgiving. Too often, we reverse this order, in that “we give to get”. But there is a huge difference between “giving because we have received” and “giving to get something in return.”

Jesus said, “where your treasure is your heart will be also.” In the earlier individuals’ stories, this was true! The first person went on mission trips every year, well into her nineties! The second, helped to build over one hundred homes! The third gave money every year to enable youth to attend Resurrection!

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, help us to examine our lives and reorder what we consider as our treasure. And help us express our deep gratitude to you with deeds of loving-kindness for the gift of costly grace you have so freely given to us. Amen.