Give It Away

Our last live poker day included a discussion with a woman about her church congregation's community service projects.  We pointed out here that it's good to do such things -- but noted the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 indicating such efforts could be flawed.

It's important to realize the "good works" we do do not qualify you for salvation, and eternal life with God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9

To paraphrase an example we heard on Christian radio: if a dealer gives you 5,000 extra chips for showing up at a poker tournament on time, do you feel compelled to return 2,500 of them?  Do you automatically give 2,500 to someone who shows up ten minutes late?  You could do that -- but why?

If you do those things, you're trying to pay for a gift.  And so it is with God.  Salvation is His gift to us, through the life of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:10).  Doing good deeds to claim a gift is illogical.

But on the other hand, we can do good works along the lines of that woman's congregation.  But we shouldn't do it to add to our "tote board" with God, hoping to have a big enough stack of "goodness chips" to reach His ultimate final table.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. -- Matthew 6:3-4

We think these words of Jesus mean not only doing good works without self-promotion -- but establishing a giving habit.  It should become so regular and "second nature" to us that we'll be surprised to hear at the judgment....

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for me of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40

So do good.  Often.  So often that you might wind up helping a poker player achieve great things, without even realizing it.