1 Corinthians 13 says, “If you have not love, it profits you nothing.” Have you ever wondered why you give more than you receive? Profit is a financial term, but it does not always equate to money. We can profit in many ways. When we receive honor we are profitting; when we are blessed with a relationship that adds value to our life, we are profitting; when we have a community that supports us, we are profitable. Expand the word profit from money to anything that adds value to your life.

I was reading 1 Samuel 1:4-5 this morning, “On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.” As I read it the words “He gave a double portion, because he loved her…” jumped off the page at me. When we love someone or something, our natural response is to give to them. We were created to respond when we love. You don’t have to tell a lover to be a giver, it is a natural response to those who love.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world…He gave….” God’s natural response to loving the world was to give His best gift, His son, to the world. He gave Jesus because He loved the world and that love profited God, for you and I are the value added people God has received from His giving out of love.

Pay attention to what you love, for what you love you will give to. When you give because you love, no one will have to ask you to give, tell you to give, convince you to give, for when you love, giving comes naturally. If we would stop giving out of obligation to places or people we feel like we are supposed to give to or have to give to and started giving to people and places we love, we would find ourselves profitting and all lack will leave us. Love gives and it gives double because giving is the natural response of love.