The Joy of Giving

Most of us learned Acts 20:35 as children: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Back then, it sounded like good manners or a moral lesson—something parents said when encouraging us to share. As children, receiving felt like the real prize. Gifts, attention, affection—those were the things that felt meaningful, tangible, exciting.

Giving, however, often felt like sacrifice, like losing something.
But time has a way of reshaping our understanding.

Through relationships, disappointments, parenting, ministry, and simple everyday moments of helping others, we begin to see the truth of this Scripture come alive: giving isn’t loss at all. It's multiplication. Giving multiplies joy, purpose, and connection. It shifts our focus from ourselves to something bigger—reflecting the very heart of God.

Every act of giving mirrors the nature and character of Christ. While receiving teaches humility and gratitude, giving—especially when it costs us something—forms us into His likeness. It stretches us. It reorients our priorities. It teaches us to love as Jesus loved: sacrificially, generously, with eternity in mind.

The pleasure of receiving fades quickly.
But the joy of giving endures.

This is why Jesus could confidently say that giving brings a deeper blessing. The blessing isn’t just in the act—it’s in who we become when we give. Like Jesus, the greatest giver of all time, we are shaped into people whose lives spill over with grace.

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

"And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
— Acts 20:35

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Dear Jesus,
It truly is better to give than to receive. Everything I have ever been given is because of your goodness. Help me never forget that truth. Shape my heart to reflect yours—a heart that gives freely, humbly, and sacrificially. Let my life echo your generosity and bring joy to those around me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE ON

1. Does my life reflect the truth of Acts 20:35?

2. Am I practicing sacrificial giving—the kind that costs me something yet forms me spiritually?

3. What one intentional act of giving can I offer this week to reflect Christ to someone around me?

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