A million dollars!

Recently David and I were talking to a man here in Florida who moved to the United States with his family from Venezuela. He said that it is just amazing to him that people would leave the United States and move to a country with so much less. He kept telling us how special we are. 

As we sat there talking, at first I wanted to just enjoy feeling good about myself. (My mom always told me I was special.) But then I realized that it would not do this man any good to leave the conversation thinking we were good people. I also realized what hypocrisy that would be. Instead what I wanted him to know was our good Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

He asked what would make us want to move our family away from everything here in the United States. David replied that when you know that you have received a Great Love, you want to share that Love with others. Then David used an analogy. "If someone gave you a million dollars, wouldn't that make you a more generous person?" The man asked, "Is that what happened? Someone gave you a million dollars?" No. Instead we have been given so much more! 

We, who deserve to be eternally separated from God because we continually fall short (sin), instead have been forgiven through Jesus Christ. The perfectly holy God reached out and brought me into his family, making me his child! He has given me eternal life through faith. And even that faith is a gift of God! (Ephesians 2:8-10) I have been given the riches of now being a child of God! I have all I could ever need! My dad is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe! Why wouldn't I want to share that grace with others in need? 

I have received a gift so much greater than a million dollars! It would be ridiculous for me not to want to share it. What about you? Have you received that gift? But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, he gave them the right to be called children of God." I John 1:12 

Even though I have received this amazing gift, I often forget what I have been given. Instead I think my life should be about entertaining myself, being comfortable or getting other people to like me. It is my prayer that you and I both remember that we are more than millionaires! We are the children of the God of the Universe who has all things in His hands. He has given us so much, of course we want to share His amazing love!