Grant B. Caldwell
04/09/09
Jesus said, “Or What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:9-11).
The Giving — There is no greater joy than to give some really nice gift to someone we truly love. A boy who is in love will attempt to demonstrate his feelings to his young lady by giving her some gift. When someone is sick or bereaved, gifts of food or flowers are often sent to express one’s care and concern. It is not difficult to see that giving is associated with love. Consider John 3:16. “God so loved the world that He gave.” Not only does God give because He loves, but we give because we love. Paul said that in the matter of the Corinthians giving to the needs of the saints, “I am testing the sincerity of your love” (2 Corinthians 8:8). Then he said, “Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf” (verse 24). There is no greater way that God shows his love or that we show our love than by giving.
The Gift — It might seem to some as though this means shelling out large sums of money. Certainly, money is involved in giving but it is far deeper and richer than just a matter of money. This text says, “Your Father who is in heaven give(s) good things to those who ask Him.” Luke said, “Your heavenly Father give(s) the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). Again consider John 3;16, God did not just give, but he gave His only begotten Son.God gave the very best that He had.
He gave us His Spirit and His Son. “Love has been perfected among us in this,” and therefore, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:13-14, 19). We would not have known that we are to love God had He not given these wonderful gifts. In our giving, we are to do the same. Paul said of the Macedonians that they “first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us” (2 Corinthians 8:5). It is not a matter of money. Throwing cash at something will not suffice. Like God, we must give ourselves.
Good Gifts – Jesus taught that our response even to our enemies was to bless them, do good to them, and pray for them (5:44). He said that in this way, we manifest ourselves to “be sons of your Father in heaven” (5:45). Evil gifts will only elicit evil responses. God showed us in His own giving that good gifts will break down the walls between us and our enemies.