I can still remember Dan McGee with a sparkle in his eye saying, "'God for every man and every man for himself,' said the Elephant as he danced among the chickens." Our instinct for self-preservation is high. Are you like me? I am great at looking out for my own best interests. I can even convince myself that God wants me to look out for myself, unless I take the scripture seriously. After all, humans have "looked out for #1" since the beginning of time. Why would we take care of others? The example of Christ and the love of Christ constrain us.
Christianity put a serious dent in self-centeredness. The disciples saw Jesus arrested and watched him die on the cross. Christians not only took care of their own but they took care of others. In fact, the world took notice of the way Christians helped the weak. The pagan Roman emperor Julian the Apostate lamented in a letter that the Christians were better at taking care of the pagan poor than the pagans themselves. He projected that if the Christians kept loving the poor, Christianity would win the day in the Roman Empire. Joyfully, he was exactly right!
How do we really know it is better to give than to receive? Receiving is pretty nice, right? We may never know, unless we give. But givers know. They are the happiest, most joyful people in the world. Hoarders, not so much. Why would we give? Because our God is the greatest Giver of all. When we give, we remind the world of him. The chickens in the world have dodged enough elephant feet. God is for giving. And when we give, we all dance.
