Often around Thanksgiving we reflect about the concept of thanksgiving and the bounties given to us but forget to continue in this reflection in our day to day living and forget that we must be thankful each and every day. The child of God must show thankfulness throughout the year! Paul writes here to the church to give to the gift to Jerusalem explaining their obligation. He does so lifting giving above the earthly and makes it spiritual. He takes our economy and our every day life and makes it vertical showing they have eternal ramifications and blessings.

Source: Paul takes us right back to God. Our rights are always of the Divine Giver! All things from His Fatherly hand. "God gives the sower the seed." God is the giver of EVERYTHING you and I have. Often times we look a bit secular at the things we have, but as Christians we know it is GOD who even makes the hinds to calf! Israel was reminded that all things belong to the Lord. He is the owner and distributor of EVERY gift! The sole owner!

Recipient: From there the Apostle Paul speaks of the recipients...the bounty (blessing) that you and I receive. To every good work all things are given to us as God blesses us that we may about to HIS praise and glory! God is able to make grace abound to you and is able to bless you with these gifts! The church at Berea had poverty yet their hearts showed in their generosity and liberality Paul explains. "Do the ministry of the Gospel for us!" And Paul shows this as an example of how one should give. Calvin says "he that gives to the poor lends to the Lord." No one can affect the joy of the heart in our giving of these blessings. It is true that there is never enough and there is always need, but the truth is there is NOTHING more secure than if we give it to the Lord to affect as He sees fit! When we lend to the Lord it returns many a fold blessings yet when we do not we are like the man who buried his talents in the ground.

Purpose: The things here below are always connected to the Kingdom! We invest in the kingdom knowing that God will always attend to its purpose. It is a matter of thankfulness and praise. YOUR THANKFULNESS! The blessing is in the joy of giving and receiving being in the heart. The grace of God is not in things but is in the ABILITY to us to the kingdom which brings returns that are very large. You sow sparingly you will reap sparingly. You sow liberally and your will reap liberally.