April 21: A Time for Giving and A Time for Receiving
2 Kings 5, selected verses
Luke 17:11-19
The Jubilee year is all about giving and receiving. People give property back to its original owners. Other people receive their freedom. The land receives rest. And God gives every person enough food for the year.
We’ve all heard: “It’s better to give than to receive.” This old truism may promote generosity, but is it possible that it also perpetuates a cultural norm that we shouldn’t accept help? We live in a society that hates “handouts.” We’re supposed to “earn” whatever we receive. And those of us who have enough are supposed to be charitable to the “underprivileged.” Is this how God’s people thought about giving and receiving in the Jubilee?
Two stories turn our cultural norms on their heads. Namaan was a powerful general. And he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end. He wanted to pay for what he received. But Elisha didn’t give in order to create a debt. And in the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers, Jesus asks for nothing when he heals them. However, the one leper who returned may show us how God wants us to respond to the gifts we receive: gratitude. Maybe what God wants us to know that all the payment required for the gifts we receive is gratitude.
How do we know when it’s time to give and when it’s time to receive?
We invite you to join us at Fairmount for Sunday Worship at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. every Sunday.
We also live-steam our 11:00 a.m. worship service to connect with our online community.
You can find Fairmount's live-stream worship at https://fpccle.org/online-worship/, on our Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.
April 21: A Time for Giving and A Time for Receiving
2 Kings 5, selected verses
Luke 17:11-19
The Jubilee year is all about giving and receiving. People give property back to its original owners. Other people receive their freedom. The land receives rest. And God gives every person enough food for the year.
We’ve all heard: “It’s better to give than to receive.” This old truism may promote generosity, but is it possible that it also perpetuates a cultural norm that we shouldn’t accept help? We live in a society that hates “handouts.” We’re supposed to “earn” whatever we receive. And those of us who have enough are supposed to be charitable to the “underprivileged.” Is this how God’s people thought about giving and receiving in the Jubilee?
Two stories turn our cultural norms on their heads. Namaan was a powerful general. And he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end. He wanted to pay for what he received. But Elisha didn’t give in order to create a debt. And in the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers, Jesus asks for nothing when he heals them. However, the one leper who returned may show us how God wants us to respond to the gifts we receive: gratitude. Maybe what God wants us to know that all the payment required for the gifts we receive is gratitude.
How do we know when it’s time to give and when it’s time to receive?
We invite you to join us at Fairmount for Sunday Worship at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. every Sunday.
We also live-steam our 11:00 a.m. worship service to connect with our online community.
You can find Fairmount's live-stream worship at https://fpccle.org/online-worship/, on our Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.