8. Getting versus Giving

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, it says “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” It is not about what we gain when we serve. But it is about what we can give when we serve. A lot of people nowadays in networking look at networking on what they can gain out of it when they are at the gathering. Why not look at it on what you can give out of the networking. If we are constantly looking for praise and encouragement from people, benefits from other people, we will be disappointed and end up being a man-pleaser. But if we have an attitude of a servant, desiring to give and help, we will find fulfilment and satisfaction in God for God will be the one to reward us. I have met leaders in ministry works who give up when they feel unappreciated by other fellow men. While we need encouragement, our attitude should still be of giving rather than taking. Networking in business should be like this. I want to give those in business a challenge as they go for their next networking gathering. Instead of thinking what they can gain out of it, think about what you can give to others in the networking group. Instead of using people to win things, use things to win people. How can you turn everything around by being a person with excellent thinking? These are examples of excellent thinking – “I want to win you over so I honour you. I want to win you over so I bless you. I am a blessing to you even before you are a blessing to me. There is nothing I want to take from you. I just want to bless you.”

9. Explanation versus Example

In lifestyle, don’t lead by explanation but by example. Explanation is important but by example is powerful. One of the most obvious examples in the bible is Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. He didn’t tell his disciples to come and wash His feet. He didn’t tell them to come and He would explain to them how to wash His feet. Instead, He went and washed their feet one by one. Later on, He said that He did it as an example for them to follow. Jesus said in John 13-15, “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” These verses showed Jesus did it by example and not by explanation.

10. Bondage versus Breakthrough

When you do all the above nine things, what you are going to get is not bondage but breakthrough. You will learn to draw from the Holy Spirit. You do everything in love and in faith with sincere care for the needs of the people. You go an extra mile beyond the call of duty. You are a giver rather than a taker. You lead by example rather than just explanation. You create an environment of liberty and freedom. You are going to see breakthrough after breakthrough in everything and anything you do whether in church, in your career, in your business or in your studies.

CONCLUSION

In the story of Jesus turning the water into wine, the Bible tells us that the pots which they poured water in are used for purification which is for washing hands. It was out of the dirty water that He turned it around to become the best wine. This showed us how God works.

He takes the rejects of the society. Not the wise, the rich and the famous are called. But He takes the foolish things of this world. These are things that people called lousy, stupid, not good, and etc. He brings them in and He removes away every hindrance that hides the true values of this individual. He takes all the hindrances away from this individual and all of a sudden, the world can see this individual is actually beautiful in the inside. That’s why Jesus told the servant to take from the wine and give it to the master of the ceremony at the wedding. The master of the ceremony drank it and he was amazed. People would use the best wine in the beginning (before everyone was drunk) and leave the lousy wine at the end because by that time, the guests would be too drunk to tell the difference. But the master of the ceremony was amazed that the bride and groom kept the best wine for last.

The master of the ceremony represents the society out there. God will take you and I, to bring us in, beautiful vessels and maybe over time through wear and tear and neglect, have oxidised. There are green, black algae all over us. God come with the power of the Holy Spirit and the water of the Word, He cleans and washes us. And all of a sudden, the shine comes forth from us and then He brings us back to the world as the salt of the earth and light of the world. People will then look at you and see a difference in you.

They will wonder how you have this reservoir of stuff inside of you to keep motivating yourself. How is it that the ways you do things create an environment of liberty? Why is it that your staffs are loyal to you? Why is it that you are able to give and the more you give, the more you have? Why is it that everything you do is surrounded by an atmosphere of faith rather than an atmosphere of fear? Why is it when everyone else is so afraid and crumbling down but you are so full of faith and up and running? People see the true value of who you are. You may not be the top student. You may not be educated in the best school. You may not be the richest businessman. But then when you come into the House of God and let the Holy Spirit cleans you up, and the Word of God washes you up, you can be what God called you to be. Hallelujah! All praise and glory to God!