Goodbye at Miletus

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” — Acts 20:35

Paul was hurrying to get to Jerusalem. His ship stopped at a port called Miletus, not far from Ephesus. So Paul sent a message to the leaders of the church in Ephesus, asking them to come and see him.

When they arrived, Paul spoke to them.

“You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,” he said. “I served the Lord humbly, sometimes with tears. I didn’t hold back from telling you anything that would help you. I taught you in public and from house to house. I told everyone to turn to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus.

“Now I’m going to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. But the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and trouble are waiting for me in every city.

“But my life isn’t what matters most. I just want to finish the race and complete the job the Lord Jesus gave me: to tell people the good news of God’s grace.

“Now I know that none of you will ever see me again.

“Take care of yourselves, and of all God’s people. Look after them, like shepherds look after their sheep.

“I never wanted anybody’s silver or gold or clothes. You know that I worked with these hands of mine to provide for myself and the people with me. I showed you that by working hard we must help the weak. Remember the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

They all cried. They hugged Paul and kissed him. What made them saddest of all was that he had said they would never see him again.

Then they walked with him down to the ship.

Paul loved the people he had taught about Jesus, and they loved him. It’s very hard to say goodbye to people you love. But Paul trusted God with whatever was coming, and he trusted God to look after his friends after he had gone.

And do you notice the words of Jesus that Paul quoted? “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Those words aren’t written in any of the four Gospels. Paul remembered them and passed them on. Giving makes us happier than getting.

Read it in your Bible: Acts 20:17–38

Dear God, thank you for the people who have taught me about you. Help me to remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Amen.