He was deeply in love with his fiancé, and saved as much money as he could to buy her a beautiful engagement ring. Finally, he took his savings to the jeweler and bought the biggest diamond he could afford.

As he presented it to her he said, “I’m sorry dear, that it is not bigger. It’s all that I had.”

“It’s perfect!” she shouted in her excitement. “It is as big as we make it!”

What a beautiful response. Sincerity is much more important than size and thoughtfulness more than any “thing.” Size had nothing to do with our salvation. Our salvation depended on someone’s sacrifice.

If we want more from God, we must give more to God. That’s His way. And He invites us to make His way, our way. “Give and it will be given to you,” Jesus said.

When we share our time, He will increase our talents so we can do more. When we share our treasures, He will make up the difference – and then some. When we share our strength, He will enable us to reach far beyond the limits we place on ourselves. But we must give in faith, believing and trusting that He will provide for our every need in ways we never imagined.

Prayer: Help us, Heavenly Father, to have enough faith to trust, knowing that You will never fail us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:14-25 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Herb had been dating Liz for about a year. He was deeply in love with her and finally decided that he would ask her to marry him. So, he went to a jewelry store and used all of his hard earned savings to purchase an engagement ring for her. Unfortunately, the rings were more expensive than he imagined and he had little money to spend and had to settle for one with a small diamond.

One evening he took her to dinner and after they ordered their meal, with a shy, trembling voice he asked, “Liz, will you marry me?”

“Oh yes, of course I will,” said Liz.

With tears in his eyes he presented the ring to her and said, “Liz, I’m sorry, so sorry that the diamond is not as big as I wanted it to be or as large as my love.”

“Oh my,” said Liz, “that doesn’t matter. The diamond is as big as we make it!”

How very true! Value is always in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it? We often substitute things for thoughtfulness or gifts with goodness. We even confuse large with lovely or big with beauty. Often we substitute spending time with someone by offering them a present instead of ourselves.

When we give something to someone, especially God, cost doesn’t matter. What we keep for our self does.

Prayer: May we realize, Lord, that giving reflects the sincerity of our heart not the size of the gift. May we show our love more by what we do than what we give. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Colossians 3:14-25 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Read more...)

He was deeply in love with his fiancée, and saved as much money he could to buy her a beautiful engagement ring. Finally, he took his savings to the jeweler and bought the biggest diamond he could afford.

As he presented it to her he said, “I’m sorry dear, that is it not bigger. It’s all that I had.”

“It’s perfect,” she shouted in her excitement. “It is as big as we make it!”

What a beautiful response. Sincerity is much more important than size, and thoughtfulness more than any “thing.” Size had nothing to do with our salvation. Our salvation depended on Someone’s sacrifice.

If we want more from God, we must give more to God. That’s His way. And He invites us to make His way, our way. “Give and it will be given to you,” Jesus said.

When we share our time, He will increase our talents so we can do more. When we share our treasures, He will make up the difference - and then some. When we share our strength, He will enable us reach far beyond the limits we place on ourselves. But we must give in faith, believing and trusting that He will provide for our every need in ways we never imagined.

Prayer: Help us, Heavenly Father, to have enough faith to trust, knowing that You will never fail us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: Colossians 3:14-25