Stewardship Week: Wednesday
In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Acts 20:35
Today is Wednesday, October 14th, 2026, and on this date in 1964, an extraordinary telephone call reached a hospital room in Atlanta. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was there for a checkup and rest when his wife, Coretta, called with the news that he had been selected to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The honor recognized his leadership in the nonviolent struggle for civil rights. It also came with more than $50,000 in prize money. Speaking to reporters that day, King announced that “every penny” would support civil rights work. A personal honor would become a gift to a cause larger than himself.
That decision invites us to consider how we receive our own blessings. When something good comes our way, it is natural to think about what it will mean for us. Perhaps a burden will be eased or a long-held hope fulfilled. There is nothing wrong with receiving a gift with joy. But generosity opens another question: Who else might be blessed by what I have received?
In Acts 20:35, Paul recalls the words of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” He shares those words while encouraging care for the weak. The blessing of giving is not a promise that we will become wealthier. It invites us to participate in the love of Christ, who gives Himself for the life of the world.
John Wesley emphasized holiness of heart and life. In our United Methodist understanding, God’s grace changes both our inward desires and our outward actions. Growing closer to Christ means learning to love the people He loves. Faith takes visible shape in compassion, justice, and generosity. This is why our stewardship campaign, “Faithful Today, Fruitful Tomorrow,” is about more than the future of an institution. It is about the people whose lives our ministry can touch. We pray that a child will discover she is loved by God, a grieving spouse will find companionship, and a struggling family will receive practical help and encouragement. These are the kinds of fruit our faithfulness can bear.
Most of us will never receive a Nobel Prize. But we do receive gifts: income, abilities, opportunities, and the encouragement of people who care for us. We can ask God how to share them. Generosity doesn’t need to wait for an extraordinary windfall. As you consider your giving, picture a person rather than a number. Picture someone being welcomed, encouraged, or given reason to hope through the ministry of St. Andrew United Methodist Church. What a beautiful possibility: a blessing received with gratitude can become a blessing shared with love. By God’s grace, the gift does not have to end with us.
Let us pray:
Dear God, help us recognize your gifts with grateful hearts. Shape us in the likeness of Jesus, and turn our blessings outward so that others may experience your love, dignity, and hope. Amen.
Rev. Geoff Beakley
