A SEASON OF GIVING
During December there are lots of “needs” that come to our attention. You will see the Salvation Army bell ringers outside of stores and you will see Angel Trees with cards of requests from children attached to them. As a store owner, I can tell you that the requests for donations rise during November and December. It seems like everywhere you turn there is someone wanting money or donations from you. Go Fund Me pages are everywhere and you can’t watch television without seeing commercials asking for money for children, animals, weather victims, etc. I think we can get “giving fatigue” if we are not careful.
It is like going to the movies and seeing someone shot and killed on the screen. We have become numb to seeing devastation because we see it so much on television, the movies, or our computers. Mass shootings now seem like just another day and we feel bad for just a short period of time and then go on about our daily life. What I am trying to say is that these people who are in need don’t have faces, we don’t think of them as being a real person. OR, we wonder why we work so hard for what we have only to hand it over to someone we feel might not really deserve it. Do they work? Are they spending frivolously? Are they on drugs? Do they drink too much? How many kids do they have, isn’t it time they stopped having them if they can’t take care of them?
I think we would all be kidding ourselves if we didn’t admit that we have thought this way at least once. I know it is not MY job to judge someone but it is hard. I know that I am supposed to give “freely” but that is hard! There are a LOT of verses that tell us that giving is EXACTLY what we need to do, not just in December.
Luke 6:37-38 – 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Romans 12:13 – 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Matthew 25:44-45 – 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
There are many ways that we can give without having to write a check. You can give the gift of listening. Sometimes we just need a good cry or to talk to someone. You can give the gift of a meal. There are people who you could invite over for a dinner or take a meal to them. You can offer to babysit for a new and stressed mother. You could offer to drive someone to the store. You could go grocery or Christmas shopping for someone. If you just stop to think about what you can truly give I am sure you would be amazed. Giving the gift of yourself is what so many people need.
I thank you, Lord, for giving us the ultimate gift of your son. I pray that we will give as freely to others as you have given to us.
Please list some ways to give and bless others. Your idea might be a blessing to someone else, either who is reading this or who will be the recipient.
Have A Blessed Sunday!
WOW…Thank you for these scriptures and reminder of what we are supposed to be doing EVERYDAY! Many years ago when my girls were about 9 and 12, we were going back home from somewhere, there was a man at the gas station asking for money and their Dad said he could smell alcohol on his breath and didn’t want to give the man money. My oldest daughter has a heart and compassion for those in need, she said “Dad, you have to give him some money bc he is hungry and needs our help!” Her Dad gave the man some money bc he was convicted by a child. As we were leaving the restaurant across the street from the gas station, we saw that man passing a bottle around to his buddies, but it didn’t matter bc we did what we were supposed to do. My girls lost their Dad this past March in a very devastating way, but he was a good man, he always gave great amounts of money to help in many ways. The girls told me that he would give them money ever so often and say “This is to help others” So when I’m with them we always stop and give to those asking for money. You are right about giving in other ways, besides money. My mother said she can remember as a child, her mom was a widow lady and had six kids to support, but she said men would often come and ask for food. My grandmother would send one of the boys out with a plate of food. A smile, a hug, a prayer, or listening just like you mentioned. One year my husband was mentoring some teenage boys from church and they took bags of candy canes and handed them out at Walmart and just said “God bless you!” Most people asked how much it was going to cost them. Lol…Isn’t that sad? One time they took popsicles to a nursing home and that was a huge success!
Sorry to go on and on, but I could just carry on about special times like this. Thank you for your kind heart and loving spirit. God bless you and Merry Christmas, my firend!
Hey Melesa, my grandmother used to feed the guys who worked n the streets during the Great Depression. My mum said her mother would give up her meal for those guys, because they had nothing to eat all day.
What an inspiring example to us.
So lovely to read your Christmas moments.
Have a peaceful Christmas.
God bless you and your family????
That is a wonderful story, Joanne. We are so blessed and we take it for granted.
I love these stories. I hope it is precious memories that your daughter will keep with her. When you see first hand the giving of others you love it will become ingrained in your soul too. What a wonderful legacy.
Your sunday posts always seem to be spot on.
We have a Kmart gifting tree here in Australia, and I keep going to get round to it, but never get there.
Well that changes this year.
Jesus is the reason for the season, and I’ve let that slide for quite a few years.
So thank you for the inspiration.
Ha e a blessed and safe holiday season.
I saw your image and immediately reported them. Its a filter app. I couldn’t get a screen shot to show you, but I messaged them to cease using your image
I wanted to let you know that your image was being used today on an app on Instagram. It was called Body Camera. I didn’t know if you were affiliated with them or not
Never heard of Body Camera. 🙁