Receivers not Givers

Conference Junkies

I listened to a YouTube video by a well-known speaker this morning – what a great preacher. I wish I could preach like some of these guys we see on TV and video. No wonder they are in demand as speakers at conferences and the like. There is an authority about them and, even if they lack that authority, they make up for it in volume. Personally speaking, I don’t shout at people. When I am speaking, rather than getting louder and louder as I make my points, I get quieter and quieter. I almost force people to listen hard. I don’t know that it’s as effective as the shouters but it does seems to work OK for me.

Half was through his introduction, this man of God asked the audience how many of them were there for the first time – quite a few - loud applause. Then he asked if there were any there every day or almost every day. Far too many, in my opinion, answered that one – almost a third of the people had been there every day! This was the second series of meetings on TV where I had seen this phenomena.

It instantly prompted a question to me. Why? Why go to receive every day if you are going to do nothing with it? Why hoard your “treasure” and blessings without sharing them with others – especially those who really need them? This once again reminded me of the parable of the talents. The good servants invested their masters wealth and doubled it. The bad and lazy servant kept it to himself and hid it so that it neither gained nor lost anything.

Why is it that people, especially those who consider themselves to be good Christians, take and take and take – receive and receive and receive - but do nothing with it? It’s almost like they build their personal account with so many ‘attendance credits’ but they have never even considered taking some unsaved person along to share it with them. The never even consider taking away what they have received and sharing it with others who maybe cannot get there or even cannot afford to get there.

These people seem to get their kick out of their boast that “I have been to every single meeting”. They are almost saying, “Look at me – I am so diligent. I have got everything from this conference.” In fact they are just like the old Pharisees of Jesus time. The ones who stood on the street corner praying loudly, “I thank you Lord that I am not like these sinners . . .”

Are you perhaps one such as this – an every day attendee. Ask yourself and ask God why you do that and then ask with whom you can start to share this new-found wealth of yours. That’s fulfilling the great commission too you know?