In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35
“A work of piety is more useful for the one who practices it than for the one who receives it. The one who does a good deed out of piety receives receives spiritual benefit, while the one who receives merely the material good, receives only temporal profit.”
Thomas Aquinas in Commentary on the Second Letter to the Corinthians.
I’m on my long journey home today. It’s a good day to quote Aquinas. He exegetes “better” in the biblical reference as “more useful” for us. Think about it. Because generosity is a fruit of the Spirit it blesses the ones that produces it by transforming them into conduits of blessing.
And the transformation has eternal implications. It stores up treasures in heaven. For this reason, the profit for the giver far exceeds the gain for the receiver. For Paul, this related to “everything” he did. Everything! He practiced and modeled the words of Jesus. In so doing, it blessed him and changed his world.
That’s why I write these posts. I does not matter to me if thousands read them or no one. I give these thoughts because I get blessed in finding them. Is there someone you should share them with? Someone who you should encourage to subscribe? Share this with them. Urge them to subscribe.
They are free, “more useful,” and … well, in a biblical sense … priceless.