Givers to the World

What a joy it is to be alive! What joy to have purpose for life! I believe that our greatest purpose in life is to bear the image of God. That is why we were created! To wear the likeness of God--in our daily life, before our children and to the world around us. There is nothing that is more powerful and influencing than to reveal God’s character.

What is God like? The Word of God reveals His character. As re read we see that more than anything else, God gives. He is a giver. He freely pours out His blessings. He gave the greatest gift of giving up is own beloved son to die for our sins.

God is life and He freely gives life. He is Light and He sheds forth His light to lighten the darkness of this world. And of course He is Love, pouring out His love and grace upon us who are undeserving sinners. As mothers we have the privilege of revealing these glorious attributes through our lives.

We are LIFE-GIVERS!

Genesis 3:20 tells us that Adam called his wife’s name, Eve. The Hebrew for Eve is Chavvah which means Life-giver! Eve was the first of her kind, the prototype of all women to come. God who is the giver of life, gave to women the blessed privilege of bringing forth life. We are life-givers to the world—and eternity!  How amazing!

And we keep on giving life. When a little baby is born, we put it to the breast, pouring life into the little babe. We continue to give life-giving foods to our children as they grow. Because we are life-givers, we pour life into our children in every way—not only in the food we give them but in our actions and the words we speak to them. As mothers, it should be our habit to speak life-giving words. (Proverbs 10:11 and 18:21)

May God save us from being life-stoppers, or speaking words of death. Instead, when you wake each morning, confess out loud

“I am a life-giver!

I am a life-giver to my children today.

I  am a life-giver to the world.”

We are LIGHT-GIVERS!

God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. Jesus is the Light of the world and He wants us to shine His light in us and through us to expose the darkness in this world. As mothers we are light-givers to our children.

Every Sabbath evening Jewish women light the candles at the table for their Sabbath meal. The woman has the responsibility to keep the light of God burning in her home and because of this she has the privilege of lighting the candles.

The Word of God tells us that the teaching of the mother is a light to keep her children from the way of evil. The mother’s light-giving words will continue to lead her children when they leave home, keep watch over them when they sleep and remind them of God’s ways as they walk this life. (Proverbs 6:20-23) The greatest education we can give our children is the entrance of His Words into their lives. (Psalm 119:105 and 130)

As you wake each morning, confess…

“I am a light-giver!

My words will give light to my children today.

We are LOVE-GIVERS!

We know that more than anything else, God is Love. If we are walking in His image, we will be constantly pouring out love. Love is not stagnant. It is a verb. It is action. Love is not love unless we give it. As mothers we have the privilege of giving love moment by moment and day by day.

How do you do this? You give. Give smiles. Give hugs. Encourage. Touch. Speak kindly. Do loving deeds. Give spontaneously. Give sacrificially. Show hospitality. Immerse yourself in God’s love and pour it out freely.

It is easy to give love when your children are lovable. What about when they are difficult and rebellious? Keep on loving. Of course, you don’t give wishy-washy love. God’s love is beyond all love, giving beyond measure.  He keeps on loving even when we rebel against Him, but it is not insipid love. Even though His love never stops, we cannot have fellowship with Him and receive the fullness of His love while we are in sin. It is only when we confess and forsake our sin that He forgives us and restores fellowship with us.

In the same way, you keep loving your rebellious teen, you pour out your heart in intercession, but you cannot compromise God’s standard for your home. Many parents tip-toe around their children. They don’t take a strong stand against the sin because they don’t want their child to reject them. This is sickly love. True love takes action. True love prays, entreats, holds up the standard and pulls them out of the fire. (Jude 12:23) And sometimes it has to wait!

It is easy to love other people when they are nice to us. What about when people speak against you? What about when in-laws have a vendetta against you? Keep on loving. Keep on blessing and praying for them. Love always overcomes.

When you wake up each morning, confess…

“I am a love-giver!

God’s love is shed abroad in my heart.

I will pour out love to my husband and children today.

I will speak words of love to them.”

There is no more room for a pity party because “nobody loves me or cares about me.” There is no more room to think, “I give and give and never get anything in return.” Love does not love to receive. It does not love to feel good. It loves because it is Love. Start pouring out love no matter how you feel. Pour out love no matter what people say or do to you. You are the bearer of the image of God to your family--and God is love.

NANCY CAMPBELL

LOVE GIVES. . .

Love ever gives,

Forgives,

Outlives,

And while it lives,

It gives!

For this is love’s prerogative,

To give,

And give,

And give!