GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN!

‘Poinsettias’ by Moffet is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

‘The Legend of the Poinsettia’ a bit of Mexican folklore. There was a poor Mexican girl named Lucida.  It was the custom of her village to walk to their church every Christmas eve to place a gift at the manger of the baby Jesus.  Having no gift to give, she gathered up an armful of tall green weeds that grew nearby.  Everyone thought she was loco when she placed the green weeds around the manger.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

She lowered her head and prayed.  When she opened her eyes, each weed was tipped with a flaming red star!  When everyone went outside after the Mass, all the clumps of green weeds in their village were shining with red stars!

Lucida’s simple gift had become beautiful.  And every Christmas to this day, the red stars shine on top of green branches in Mexico.  The people call the plants la Flor de Nochebuena.  The Flowers of the Holy Night, Christmas Eve.  The Poinsettia.  

Excerpted from the children’s book, ‘The Legend of the Poinsettia’ by Tomie dePaola.

The poinsettia became associated with Christmas in part because of this legend and also because they ‘bloom’ in December.  It is actually the specialized leaves, called bracts that have the ability to turn red in response to light or the lack there-of.  The actual blooms are in the center of the plant!  Left to itself, a poinsettia bush can grow to be 10 to 15 feet high!  They are indigenous to Mexico and Central America.  They were first brought to America by Joel Roberts Poinsett who had a passion for botany and served as the U.S. minister to Mexico from 1825 to 1830.  The plant now bears his name!

And guess what!  More than 35 million potted Poinsettias are sold every year in the United States!

This beautiful legend and the Poinsettia plant remind us that God is pleased when we give even the simplest gift.  Jesus said, ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ Luke 6:38. 

But beware.  In book of Malachi, we find God saying something extraordinary about giving!

He said, ‘will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’  In tithes and offerings.  You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,’ says the Lord of hosts; and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord of hosts.’ Malachi 3:8-12.

We rob God?  YES!  When we don’t tithe (typically 10% of our income) to God.  But look at God’s promise to us if we do!!!  He will, ‘open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it!  And rebuke the devourer for our sakes.  You know who that is, the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy all we have, the devil himself.  I included this because I have a theory I want you to think about.  I believe you will never see the 10% that belongs to God!  You have a choice.  You can either give it to Him and be severely blessed or the devourer will destroy ‘the fruit of your ground or your vines will bear no fruit.’  Translated, you will lose that 10% in repair bills, broken down appliances, unsuccessful business ventures or promotions.  YOU WILL NEVER SEE THAT MONEY!

Be a giver and be blessed like Lucida! Remember this: ‘Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.