Give to Encourage God’s Family
By Rick Warren
“Love one another with mutual affection.” Romans 12:10 (NRSVUE)
The Bible instructs followers of Jesus to “love one another with mutual affection” (Romans 12:10 NRSVUE). But what does that really mean?
There are many ways we can do that, but one of those ways is to use our resources—whether that’s money, time, or effort—to express love to each other. Every time you give to God, you’re drawn closer to him—and every time you give to other people, you grow closer to them.
I like to think of loving other believers as investing in God’s Mutual Fund—in something that will yield dividends for eternity.
When you write a note of encouragement to a fellow believer, you make a deposit in God’s Mutual Fund. When you take a meal to someone who’s ill, you invest in them. Did you open your home for a small group gathering? That’s another deposit in the Mutual Fund. When you watch someone else’s kids so they can attend a church retreat, you’re still investing. Or how about when you take a struggling friend out for lunch and conversation? That’s an investment in the Mutual Fund.
Every act of love, every small gesture—it all counts. You’re not just giving to meet a need; you’re also building something eternal. You’re storing up treasures in heaven.
Why should we do this? The Bible says, “What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God’s people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God” (2 Corinthians 9:12 CEV).
When we believers give to each other, we make the gospel visible. Our generosity becomes a living testimony. When we’re generous and hospitable, even to those we don’t know well, we’re showing the world what true faith looks like.
As Psalm 133:1 says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” (NIV). That’s the power of investing in the Mutual Fund—our love builds unity and reflects God’s heart to the world.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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