Midway Church of Christ

Jesus, who came that we might have life more abundantly, taught that, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” To give ourselves first to God, and then to others, is to live the most rewarding life.

This is the secret of successful human relations in the family, in the church, and in society at large. We enrich ourselves, not by what we acquire, but by what we share. Paul could have been writing about this very thing, when he wrote: “He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and the that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.”

It is one of the strange paradoxes of human experience that he who gives himself away most completely has more of himself to give, and, as a by-product, discovers a real reason for living.

Lot was a righteous man, but he moved to Sodom. Although his soul was vexed, he stayed and raised his family there. Finally he lost his influence and had to flee. He probably thought he could change Sodom. But there is ever the danger that berfore you can bring light to Sodom, you will get used to the darkness. Little by little, sin appears less sinful until the “light within us becomes darkness.” (Luke 11:35)

The noted professor of philosophy, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, had been seeking a place where he could invest his remaining years in some meaningful service to mankind, when he chanced to read an article entitled, “The Needs of the Congo Mission.” He began the study of medicine and surgery and went to French Equatorial Africa where he labored until his death, September 4, 1965.

This man, who held doctor’s degrees in philosophy, theology, music and medicine, lovingly spent himself to bring healing to the bodies and minds of black men.

Late in his life he wrote, “Whoever among us has, through personal experience, learned what pain and anxiety really are, must help to insure that those who are out there in bodily need obtain the help which came to him. He belongs no more to himself alone, he has become the brother of all who suffer.”

Sympathy, the capacity to suffer with and for others, is an index to character and is the measure of a man. Would that we, as Christians, could learn to so sympathize with those who remain under bondage to sin, remembering that Christ died for all.

Not everyone has the gift of genius, but everyone can work at whatever task he has at hand. Not everyone can reach the heights of accomplishments achieved by those rare individuals who stand out so far above other men. But anyone who is willing to work patiently and intelligently can contribute enough to the world to earn a comfortable living and sometimes even renown. No one can be sure that he is a genius, but everyone knows whether he is using the brains and skills he has to the best of his ability—and that is the only thing that really counts.

Andrew’s name may not be so prominent among the apostles, but had there been no Andrew, there may never have been a Simon Peter, apostle! Andrew was no sooner a convert to Christ than he became a missionary for the Lord…”He first findeth his own brother…and he brought him to Jesus.” John 1:41,42 He had no special training, he just wanted to share the good news.

“If you cannot be a genius like Paul, or an orator like Apollos, or a teacher like John, or an evangelist like Peter; you can be a soul-winner for Christ like Andrew.”

“If you cannot sing like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell of the love of Jesus; you can say “He died for all.”