God Doesn't Love the Gift, He Loves the Attitude Behind It

# 341 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 25:9-12, “So when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited. 10 Then Nabal answered David's servants, and said, "Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. 11 "Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?" 12 So David's young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words. (1 Sam 25:9-12) David's men had just explained to Nabal how they had provided protection for his shepherds and played a role in the profits that he was enjoying today at his feast. And it says here.....”they waited.” Likening David to a type of Christ and these ten men as his ministers we could say the same thing about the church today. The ministers of the gospel often speak about financial giving in the church. They give good solid biblical reasons for giving, and then they and the Lord wait for our response. What will it be? A grateful acknowledgment of all that the Lord has afforded us? Will we thank Him with an offering for His salvation, His protection, His material blessings? Or will we be like Nabal (remember his name means dolt) and hang onto our blessings as if God had nothing to do with it? Indeed how foolish this Nabal really is in light of what the Bible says about generosity. We read in 1Ti 6:17-19, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” I don't know where you are financially, but I do know that it is possible to be generous no matter where you are if you just make it a priority. God doesn't love HUGE givers, He loves the cheerful ones. Father, thank You for the blessings you have bestowed upon us, help us to make generosity a priority in our lives.