Thursday, November 3, 2011

Something Worth Sharing

For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established. (Romans 1:11)

Some people come to visit and you’re happy to see them come...and happier to see them go. Let’s just be honest. They leave you with more problems than you had before and probably at least one other mess to clean up. You wish that they had shared something worth sharing. Have you ever been around people who are always in a crisis? Their lives are in such a wreck that it’s often hard to know how to help them. These folks can drain the life out of you when they come around. But I must admit that I have spent a lot of my life being one of those kinds of people. I often wondered why the people I visited never seemed to call me back. I often wondered why they didn’t come around. One day I painfully realized that my tumultuous life was draining the vitality from theirs. I never had anything to share with them unless it was focused on me. It’s amazing how glad others are to see you when they think you care about them at least as much as you care for yourself!
Turning our focus away from ourselves is an intentional process. But with God’s help, we can begin to see what He sees and care about what He cares about. Paul’s letter to the Romans opened with his desire to share something worth sharing.

I. PAUL WANTED TO SHARE THE BEST PART OF HIMSELF...AND IT WAS NOT HIMSELF. The best part Paul desired to impart is that which was of God. We have nothing to share of eternal value except spiritual blessings. A spiritual blessing comes only from God.
II. PAUL WANTED TO SHARE THE BASIC PART OF HIMSELF...AND IT WAS NOT HIMSELF. The basic part of Paul’s being was no longer centered on self. God was the foundation, or the first part. We begin with the foundation or basic part. Paul’s life had a new beginning with God.
III. WE ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPART SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
1. We can share our stories. Testimonies encourage us because they encourage others. We can know that we are not alone in the world.
2. We can share our burdens in prayer. To know you are the subject of someone’s prayer is a precious thing. It tells us we have great value.
3. We can share the gospel. The gospel is not only about salvation. It is about sharing the news of knowing a mighty good God in some awful bad times.
SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE THOSE WORTH SHARING.
When we share blessings that only God can give, people will be sad to see you go!

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