“Mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good” (Proverbs 14:22).
One morning when Susan woke up, she remembered that she wanted to buy a gift for her mother’s birthday. But Susan couldn’t get it without her mother seeing, so she asked her father to take her to the store. She knew exactly what to buy her mother. Many times when they had been in that store, Susan and seen her mother look longingly at a pair of earrings, but then decide at the last minute not to buy them. After saving up her Christmas and birthday money, Susan finally had enough to buy the gift. So she bought the earrings. When Susan gave them to her mother, Susan’s mom nearly cried tears of joy.
Susan had a giving attitude. She had planned out everything exactly. She had watched to see what her mother wanted, and then she had worked things out to surprise her mother. Susan planned to do good.
God is pleased with this kind of attitude. The sacrifice honors Him, and the thoughtfulness makes Him smile, because He, too, is thoughtful. Before He ever made the world, God planned to do good to all people by sending Jesus Christ as a substitute to pay for everyone’s sin. God has enormous delight in those who follow His example of planning to do good.
God plans to good and delights when we plan to do good too.
My response:
» What kind of attitude do I have: a giving one or a greedy one?
» Do I plan ahead to do good, or is it an afterthought?
» Do I ask God to help me do good to others to show them what He is like?