Share: Communicate and Distribute Freely
Freely you have received, freely give. Sharing the good things God has given us — our possessions, time, abilities, knowledge and very lives — keeps us free from the grip of earthly things, enriches the lives of others and positions us to be blessed in return.
Sharing God's Blessings with Others
We are to share with others whatever good things the Lord gives us, for it is written, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Num 10:32; Mt 10:8; Lk 3:11; Rom 12:13). Sharing brings release from enslavement to earthly things, enriches the lives of others and puts us where we can be blessed in return, for it is written, “Give and it will be given to you” — in the proportion we bless others, we will be rewarded in some way, at some time (Prov 3:9-10, 11:24-25; Mal 3:10-11; Lk 6:35,38, 14:12-14; 2 Cor 9:6; Gal 6:7-10). After all, we are only stewards of what we have been blessed with, and what we have has come to us by God’s mercy (1 Chr 29:14; Jn 1:16).
Joshua reminded his soldiers to share the blessings equally with others; similarly, David decreed that all who had input into a situation equally share in the rewards (Josh 22:8; 1 Sam 30:23-24).
The world’s way is to buy and sell; God’s way is give and receive. The early church believers pooled their resources and assets so they could distribute to those in need. It was a voluntary choice and did not involve surrendering all their private property (Act 2:44-45, 4:32-36). Selfish people are focused on what they can get rather than what they can give, but the generous say, ‘I’ve been blessed, I want to bless you’ (1 Tim 6:18). When we see a need, if it is in our power to assist, we can show Christ’s attitude of blessing others in appropriate ways (Mt 25:34-45; Act 10:38; Phil 2:5-8).
Share yourself as well as your things
Sharing Life, Faith and Knowledge
Christianity is practical — sharing this world’s things with others shows we are producing the fruit of a changed life, and it can open doors to speak about Christ as we serve their needs, doing for them what we would like done for us (Isa 58:6-7; Lk 3:11, 6:31; Eph 4:28; Jas 2:15-17). What creates goodwill like a voluntary gesture of giving?
Share, and give help, without expecting anything in return — even from those who are in no position to repay you. True giving is not a transaction or an investment made for personal advantage; it is a free act of love that mirrors the way God gives to us, “kind to the ungrateful and evil” (Lk 6:35). If we give only to receive, our generosity is corrupted the moment the repayment fails to come, and love that keeps a ledger of favours is not love at all (1 Cor 13:4-5). Give quietly, without fanfare or self-promotion, and let the Father who sees in secret be the one who rewards (Mt 6:1-4). Where the need is real — a brother or sister lacking food or clothing — words of sympathy are empty unless they are matched by practical provision (Jas 2:15-17).
Be involved in the lives of others, for we all need support and help at different times. None of us is self-sufficient: at plenty of points we are the ones being blessed as receivers, while at other times we are the givers, carrying someone else's burden — and that fulfils the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). Bear with one another, weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, so that the members of the body may have the same care for one another; if one member suffers, all suffer together, and if one is honoured, all rejoice together (Rom 12:15; 1 Cor 12:25-26). Two are better than one — if one falls, the other will lift up their companion (Ecc 4:9-10). Do not withdraw from people when they are in need, nor assume someone else will step in; carry each other through the valleys as well as celebrating together on the heights. In God's economy no one is meant to be only a giver or only a receiver: today you may be the one with strength to share, and tomorrow the one gratefully receiving — and both positions keep us humble, connected and dependent on one another (Act 20:35; 2 Cor 8:13-15).
Associate with non-believers in wholesome activities by which you can build bridges to present Christ to them, but “Do not share in the sins of others” — keep your distance from those who are actively sinning, especially if they claim to be Christians (1 Cor 5:9-11; 1 Tim 5:22; Rev 18:4). We should be actively sharing the good news with those who do not have hope, not just indulging in the benefits of salvation ourselves while others are not aware of what is available in Christ (2 Kgs 7:9).
Personal involvement with simple acts of helping
It is not right to keep good news to ourselves. When four starving lepers stumbled into the abandoned enemy camp outside Samaria, their first instinct was to eat and hide the treasure for themselves — until conscience struck: “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now come, let us go and tell” (2 Kgs 7:3-9). What they had found was too good to hoard, and the same is true of the gospel: salvation is not a private possession but a message entrusted to us for the sake of others. To feast in silence while a perishing world goes hungry is not merely a missed opportunity — it is a failure of love and stewardship, and one day we must give an account for the good news we kept quiet (Ezek 3:18; 1 Cor 9:16). Yet note how the lepers shared: they went and told, simply and urgently, without training or platform — and their report brought rescue to a whole city (2 Kgs 7:10-16). Whoever has been found by Christ owes it to those still outside the gate to speak, while it is still called today (Jn 1:40-42; Heb 3:13).
Don’t just acquire practical and spiritual knowledge or experience for yourself — share it with others, mentoring those less developed in various areas, just as you should be receiving from others who are more proficient in areas you are weaker in. Sharing can include giving verbal testimony of biblical insights or experiences that have blessed you and will encourage others (Act 18:24-26; Rom 15:14). Through balanced sharing across the broad spectrum of life, communicate and share your heartaches as well as your joys — “sharing our lives” (2 Cor 1:7; Gal 6:2,6; 1 Thes 2:8). Humbly share your failings, not to get sympathy but so others can pray for you in these areas of expressed need (Jas 5:16). When speaking of your successes, ensure the glory goes to God (Deut 8:18; Act 12:23).
The greatest treasure we can share is Christ
Sharing in Both Blessing and Suffering
We share family characteristics by inheritance. We will reap blessings if our parents have walked uprightly, but may also share in the penalties if they have rebelled against God (Ex 20:5-6; Josh 7:24-26). While those who sin will pay the primary penalty, there is a sense in which sins committed by ancestors affect succeeding generations — we are all suffering because of Adam and Eve’s sin (Gen 3:1ff; Ezek 18:4,13,18,20,30). However, by ‘looking to Jesus’ we can come into a new and positive dimension of life.
Sharing involves both the good and the bad in life. The way of Jesus is identifying with people in distress and assisting in their release. This involves taking up our cross and following Him; all who determine to live godly lives will suffer persecution, but if we want to enjoy the blessings of Christ, we must experience the sufferings that accompany them, for the two are inseparably linked (Mt 16:24; Rom 8:17; Phil 3:10; 2 Tim 3:12; Heb 2:10. 12:2; 1 Pet 5:1). When it is your time of need, others can share with you (2 Cor 8:13-15).
Are my eyes, heart, hands, and wallet open to the needs around me?
Sharing in the master’s happiness is part of the reward for being a wise and obedient servant in the parable of the talents’ teaching about the Kingdom of God (Mt 25:14-23). As fellow Christians we share in the grace of God, and He works on our character to bring it into proper alignment with His, so that ultimately we will share in the glories of heaven (Gal 5:22-23; Phil 1:7; Heb 3:14, 12:10; Rev 22:19). Our attitude to sharing governs our personal future: if we selfishly hold tightly onto life, we will lose out, but if we expend it for the Kingdom of God we will find it and be eternally blessed — hoarding is short-sighted while being other-focused has eternal consequences (Mt 6:19-20, 10:39, 19:29; Lk 12:16-21; 1 Tim 6:17-19).
Reflection and Application:
- Identify one possession, skill or insight you have been holding onto and deliberately share it with someone this week.
- Build a bridge with a non-believer through a simple act of helping, and be ready to share the good news with them.
- Share a testimony or a personal failing with a trusted friend, so they can pray for you and be encouraged by your honesty.
- Remember you are a steward, not an owner — plan a generous response to the next need you see.
See also: generosity, gifts and giving, greed, others, selfishness, servant/serving.