Takers want you to do everything their way and for their benefit. They want you to listen to their problems but they aren’t interested in yours. They think only of themselves, seldom of others. They want to be the center of everyone’s attention, time and praise.

Hoarders don’t necessarily want to take from others or be the center of everything, but what they have they are unwilling to share with others. They are selfish of their time, their talent, their money. They seem to think that if they let go of any of these they will put themselves in danger somehow.

Then there are the wasters. They are not necessarily selfish (although some are), they simply are not good managers of what they have and so they are often in need of the help of others. Money burns a hole in their pocket so they will spend it as fast as they receive it. They may waste time and their talents as well as causing those who care about them to be exasperated as they try to get the wasters to help themselves and even help others.

Givers realize that none of the resources God has allowed them to use really belong to them. They know that everything belongs to God. They know that this is the real key to good stewardship. It is a matter of ownership. They also know from personal experience that it really is true that givers are more blessed than receivers. Of course there must be receivers or there could be no takers, but givers who receive then look at what they have received as simply more resources to use unselfishly.

Let’s ask God in sincere prayer to help us to learn to be givers. Satan has a powerful weapon at his disposal, one that he uses with great effect. That weapon is the lie that what we have is ours to do with as we please. Jesus taught that there will be an accounting. In fact this accounting is going on all the time. When He comes again, we, along with everyone else, will know the results of this accounting. There is no need to be surprised at the outcome. We have God’s word to learn from and to live by. His word teaches us to not be takers, hoarders or wasters of any of the gifts He entrusts to us. He teaches us to be wise users and above all, givers of His great gifts.

-- Wayne Sharp