Galatians 6:6 share all good things
What do you think it means to
“share in all good things with him who teaches”? ___________________________________________________________
Apparently, in Greek the word
for ‘share’ is koinoneito which was a
euphemism for “make a financial contribution”.
The
pagan priests in New Testament times often received fees for their sacrificial
services, but Paul prefers to train his converts in voluntary liberality as
distinguished from payments received from performing sacrificial rites.[1]
The
specific injunction of giving money for the Galatians has an underlying
principle. Can you tell what it is? The body of Christ is to operate each
according to their gifts, and those for the benefit of all. Everyone—both learner and teacher—has something to contribute!
How do you usually think about the learner-teacher
relationship? Is it a one-way street where
the teacher is always the one dispensing and the learner is always
receiving? If it is not just one way,
what does the learner dispense toward, or share with the teacher? Think of the various teachers in your
life. What do they receive as a result
of teaching you? _______________________________________________
In America, there has been much talk of this upcoming
generation as a “generation of entitlement”—a people who believe it is their
right to have and receive all the goods they desire. Does this describe you? Has this sense of ‘entitlement’ has crept into
the Church? Is it our ‘right’ to worship
freely, to have good teaching, a decent facility, and programs that suit us—all
with little or no effort and input from us?
One way to measure your heart in this, is to consider
your attitude when the teaching isn’t that great. Are you annoyed? Or are you grateful someone took time and
energy to prepare something to share with you?
Your words and actions probably reveal your mindset and attitudes toward
those who teach:
you are thankful, grateful,
appreciative vs. you are nit-picking
and/or unresponsive
you share money &
resources vs.
money & resources are spent
on your own interests
you invest time and energy to
help vs. you spend time & energy only on your own
interests
To “share all good things” is to acknowledge how
incredibly blessed you are and to acknowledge the fact that God often uses
people to bless people. The currency may
not always be the monetary, or the same in both directions, but between
believers, the street should never be ‘one-way’. What do you think Paul would say to you,
about your relationship with the teachers in your life?
Read and Pray: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, Ephesians 4:11-16
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