Giving Your All

"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back." Proverbs 21:25-26

We talk a lot about serving each other. But do we really? Are we so bogged down with serving activities that we are really just going through the motions? Or are we just skating by with the bare minimum.

"The righteous gives and does not hold back." That's the answer.

But how does he give without holding back? Without becoming drained, broken down, and running on fumes?

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Ephesians 4:28

He learned that no matter how many "good" things he has done, he isn't perfect. He knows that he has lost a lot of time doing his own thing instead of doing things for God. He can never give back the time he's taken.

He wants to do honest work, not in a draining way that makes serving a chore, but so that he can help anyone in need. The righteous man works so that he can give all he has, at any time, because that's what Jesus did for us.

Examine the way you serve. Are you going through the motions? Are you doing the mandatory requirements? Are you using the time God's given you to help someone, whether it be with money, food, moving their boxes, building their furniture, or even just by giving them your time and friendship.

There is a big difference between giving your all, running ragged, and not bothering.