But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:7
“Abba Anthony said, “Whoever hammers a lump of iron, first decides what he is going to make of it, a scythe, a sword, or an axe. Even so we ought to make up our minds what kind of virtue we want to forge or we labour in vain.”
Anthony the Great (251-356) in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1984) 8
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers is another book from the list in 25 Books Every Christian Should Read: A Guide to the Essential Spiritual Classics. This classic work contains a collection of wise sayings from the Desert Fathers.
Today’s Scripture reminds us to grow in many virtues and to include giving in the list. Abba Anthony takes this one steps further. He examines what he has, namely, a lump of iron, and exhorts hearers to make something of it. It’s a powerful word picture.
I want to encourage you today to see what you have. From there, consider growing your year-end giving and minimizing your year-end keeping so you make something of what you have. Don’t make the labor of earning those funds be done in vain.
In the words of Anthony the Great: Make up your mind. And please include GTP in your giving list.
God has opened doors for us to deliver program online and to deploy our global staff to do onsite program work in these countries in 2023: Ukraine, Poland, Czeckia, Slovakia, Romania, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Brazil, Malawi, Argentina, Philippines, Bolivia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Zambia, and India.
I won’t go to all those countries but hope to deploy our staff to serve in those places. Our remaining year-end need is $91,747. Please click here to make a gift. Thanks.