The Grace Cycle!

Dear Friend –

Think of all the affirmations of being a blessing to others we discover in scripture:

    I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
    Genesis 12:2

         It is more blessed to give than to receive (Jesus). Acts 20:35  

              Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
              Philippians 4:17

While organizations appropriately seek our gifts for the year to come, the focus of these texts is on what giving does for us as well as for those who receive.

This is wonderfully captured in the Grace Cycle we discover when Paul wrote, “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.” II Corinthians 9:11* There are three stages to this grace cycle.

Stage One:  Grace to us – “You will be enriched in every way.”  

    Stage Two – Grace through us – “for your great generosity.”

        Stage Three – Grace returned. “the gifts produce thanksgiving to God.”

Grace to us. Grace through us. Grace returned. Round and round, the  Grace Cycle never ends.

The Lord who loves you never stops pouring grace into your life and as you pour that grace to touch others, they are blessed and you are blessed!

One of the ways you may encourage others to grow in grace is to inspire in them and model to them the grace of giving!

Joy to you – Stan  

© Copyright 2024 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. Think of moments when you have given gifts, whether simpl or costly from your point of view, whether of money, time, energy or effort, in what ways did that encourage you now and in what ways will our Lord accrue such generosity to your benefit?
2. In Philippians 4:17, the apostle Paul indicates fruit (or profit) accrues to our credit when we give. Therefore, helping people grow a heart of generosity is one way of building them up because the Grace Cycle suggests blessings from God come to us, we pass them on to others and we are blessed by doing so and they  are blessed by us (and by God) who in turn bless God! In what ways have you seen the Grace Cycle in action in your own life?
3. How will you model giving in such a way the people in your life will grow in their desire to give (but not to seek their praise for your giving?