9 “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Most everyone looks at money when it comes to wealth. If you give, it’s most often money and it’s not near 10%. But what about your other wealth? What about your wealth of experience? What about your wealth of knowledge and wisdom?

Can you imagine the difference we could make in the lives of others if we “gave God our firstfruits” of the wealth of knowledge we’ve gained in this life too?

Giving is more than dropping something in the plate or Red Kettle because you feel guilted into it. Giving is sacrificing to help others. I think that’s why so many people want the government to fix things – it appears to absolve them from the responsibility of sacrifice and keeps them isolated from the lives of the underbelly of this world, the real state of things.

God’s expectation is different. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the last of these if these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:40 is the expectation. It doesn’t say “whatever part of your money that the government takes from you that helps the poor will be credited to you”.

It’s also a rich translation. The “least of these” are His brothers and sisters we have been entrusted with caring for while here on earth. He wants to see how well use the resources he’s given us, financial and experiential. Will you mentor a child who might be in the fourth or fifth generation growing up without a father?  How about invest in the life of someone who is desperate to break the cycle of drugs, addiction, and or incarceration?   Are you willing to invest years of your life in the life of another, up close and deeply with no guarantee of a return? It exposes you to their pain, you can see your investment make a difference or not. Have you ever invested in the homeless or hungry? We have been given tremendous riches – how are you spending yours?

Invest deeply and you’ll be rewarded greatly. It might not be in this life, but it will certainly be in the next life. We will reap what we sow and He knows our lives.

In this life, riches do not always take the form of currency and possessions. Making a difference in this world through sacrifice and service will fill your cup to overflowing here on earth, and you’ll also be rewarded in the next. Matthew 6:19-21  The poor will get their reward in the next life, what will you get in yours? Go big for that storehouse in heaven.