A season of giving....
“It is more blessed to give than receive.” If you are of the Christian faith you are familiar with this bible verse.
What does this tiny little verse mean to me.
I am not familiar enough with other faiths to know what the commands are for “giving.”
Regardless of your “faith” or “beliefs” or whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this is the perfect time of the year to “give.”
There are so many who struggle during this time of year for so many reasons.
A young single mom trying to find a way to buy a little something for her child.
A family struggling to put a decent meal on the table.
An elderly person trying to figure out a way to heat their home.
A teenager living on the streets because mom and dad are unable to provide a stable home.
Maybe this time of year is no more a struggle for them than any other time of the year…but the “commercial spirit” of the Christmas season seems to make it so much worse for those without.
So every year I put 5 $20 bills in my wallet. If you have more, make it 5 $100s…less…5 $10s or $5s or even $1s!
When “the spirit” speaks, I give.
I gave to the woman at the bus stop who may be the single mom struggling to make ends meet…let alone buy her child a Christmas present.
I gave to the family at the grocery store. I could tell from their purchases that a “good meal” is a struggle.
I gave to the teenage kid at the gas station when he was digging in his pockets to find enough change to put a little bit of gas in his scooter.
I gave to the elderly man whose gloves had holes and his jacket was entirely too thin for the frigid weather.
I give quietly…discreetly…with humility and without fanfare.
I don’t know if God speaks in an audible voice…but I do believe he speaks to our hearts…and if we make a commitment to listen, we will hear “his voice.”
Give. Give now. Give to THAT person.
You will know…
Share what you have….even if it is not a lot…give.
This is my wish for Christmas…that every person “give” what they are capable of giving…even if it is nothing more than an act of kindness, a smile, words of encouragement, a silent prayer, a little bit of your time.
And before you start whining about what you DO NOT have and why you CAN NOT give, think about this….
I saw this posted on Facebook and it really resonated with me. First, because it reaffirms my belief that gratitude and happiness go hand in hand.
Also because we ALL have those times when we bitch and moan about what we don’t have and forget that there are people in this world who have WAY less than we do.
No matter how little you have, there is always someone who has WAY less.
So give…give because you are blessed.
