Open to Revision

It’s been said, “All authors have one thing in common—lousy first drafts.” Revisions, corrections, creative additions—all work to make our favorite books as good as they are.

Living the giving life can also be described as a series of revisions, corrections, and creative additions. We seldom see complete stewardship and generosity in a human being. Instead, we see imperfect people—like us—doing their best to live like Jesus, to live generously toward others.

Living like Jesus means getting better and better and knowing what to give, to whom, and when. A model passage for those seeking to be the best stewards of this one life we have been given is Philippians 2:3-8.

In this passage, Paul explains that Jesus did nothing from selfish motives. He lived out the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31, NIV) Jesus, like no one else, did this perfectly and in the end became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

Now, God isn’t calling us to lay down our lives for mankind—at least not in the way Jesus did—that was His special mission. But we can daily follow Christ’s example and live our lives for the benefit of others. Perhaps this is the first and key step in the giving life. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5, NIV)

May today be a worthwhile day because of revisions, corrections, and creative additions to our lives of Christian stewardship.

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To learn more about a creative planning tool known as the “Give it Twice” trust, download our eBook One Asset, Two Gifts today.

© 2022 CDF Capital Foundation from the Lifestyle Giving Legacy files