Is it really better?

Jesus said it’s better to give than to receive.

You won’t find that quote in the gospels. You’ll find it in Acts. Paul offers those words in a speech as a quotation of Jesus (Acts 20:35).

Jesus said it, so we’re obligated to say yes to the question. Yes, it’s better to give than to receive.

But have you tasted that it’s true?

This season, a season of gift-giving, is a great time to test it.

But is it automatic?

Is it possible that to taste it, we have to cultivate generosity in our hearts?

If my heart is oriented toward acquiring, if this is a motivating force in my life, is it possible that I will not taste it?

I think it’s probable.

So, what can you start doing in this season to cultivate a more generous heart so that you can taste the truth of Jesus’ words?

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

This is Us

We are the church, whether we are gathered or scattered--each one of us, a part of the body of Christ, wherever we go, whatever we do.

So, where can you find us, and what are we doing?

These are our students who spent their Wednesday meeting time to bring Christmas cheer to our Kid’s Hope kids at Woodbury Elementary. High schoolers went shopping and middle schoolers stayed and made gifts.

If you loved the Christmas decorations at Five Oaks (and I did), you can thank a bunch of Five Oakers who gathered to decorate under the direction of our Tech Director, Harold Ennulat. Several from his small group and others joined in to make everyone’s Christmas even more festive.