I’m often reminded of a hymn about the Dead Sea which used to be sung.  I haven’t heard it in some time.  If you have studied about the Dead Sea, you know it is 1,401 feet below sea level.  The Dead Sea is the lowest land elevation on earth and receives water from the Sea of Galilee via the Jordan River.   Because nothing around it is lower, it never passes on the water it receives.  This hymn made a lasting impression on me, for even it too does speak.

“There is a sea which day by day receives the rippling rills, And streams that spring from wells of God or fall from cedared hills;  But what it thus receives it gives with glad unsparing hand;  A stream more wide, with deeper tide flows on to lower land.

There is a sea which day by day receives a fuller tide;  But all its store it keeps, nor gives to shore nor sea beside; it’s Jordan stream, now turned to brine lies heavy as molten lead; its dreadful name e’er proclaim that sea is waste and dead.

Which shall it be for you and me, who God’s good gifts obtain?  Shall we accept for self alone, or take to give again?  For He who once was rich indeed laid all His glory down, that by His grace, our ransomed race should share His wealth and crown.”       ~ Lula Zahn

The Dead Sea receives but never gives.  And that is why it is dead.  The following story says it all in regard to giving.

“There is an old tale about an unusual tree that grew outside the gates of a desert city.  It was an ancient tree, a landmark, as a matter of fact.  It seemed to have been touched by the finger of God, for it bore fruit perpetually.  Despite its old age, its limbs were constantly laden with fruit.  Hundreds of passersby refreshed themselves from the tree as it never failed to give freely of its fruit.

But then a greedy merchant purchased the property on which the tree grew.  He saw hundreds of travelers picking the fruit from his tree, so he built a high fence around it.  Travelers pleaded and pleaded with the new owner.  “Share the fruit with us.”  The miserly merchant scoffed, “It’s my tree, my fruit, and bought with my money.”

And then an astonishing thing happened – suddenly, the ancient tree died.  What happened?  The law of giving, as predictable as the law of gravity, expresses the immutable principle:  when giving stops, bearing fruit ceases, and death follows inevitably.”        ~ Unknown

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;  not grudgingly, or of necessity:  for God loveth a cheerful giver.”   (II Corinthians 9:7)

“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”   (Acts 20:35)

“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.”    (Proverbs 3:27)

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”     (Malachi 3:10)

“No matter what you make.  All that you can take, is what you give away.”        ~ Anderson

Eileen Light