“Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!’ ”
— Luke 19:8 (NLT)
When Zacchaeus met Jesus, it changed him from a cheating tax collector into a generous giver. He was sorry for his selfishness and proved it by giving half his money to the poor. He even went to those he’d cheated and paid them back four times more than he’d stolen from them. Zacchaeus became a radical giver!
How much do you enjoy being around the girl at school who constantly lets you pay for the movie rentals and soda every week, while she keeps her money for her own shopping trips? Self-centered takers are no fun to be around. It’s normal to want to see that our needs get met, but we need to look out for the needs of others too.
Make a change in your thinking. Look at the people in your life and ask yourself, “What can I give you or do for you?” Become a radical giver. Besides helping others, joy will flood your own heart.
More to Explore: Acts 20:35 and Deuteronomy 15:7 – 11
Girl Talk: What do you have that you could give to others? Is it hard for you to give, without expecting anything in return?
God Talk: “Lord, I thank you for all you give to me. I want to give to others, without thinking of myself. Thank you for helping me give with a loving heart. Amen.”
From No Boys Allowed by Kristi Holl