There is no worse place for your child to have the stomach bug than on an international flight. Our ten-month-old son had already been sick twice—once in his crib, and once on a bus ride to Heathrow Airport. By the third time, our plane was soaring west, high above the Atlantic Ocean. Flight attendants arrived with cleaning solvent and towels, while I tried not to cry—the baby was doing enough of that for the both of us. I had run out of clean clothes, for him and for me. After we cleaned up as best as we could, a woman seated next to me, bouncing an infant on her lap, leaned over.
“Does he need some clothes?” she asked, her British accent calm and kind. She began to dig in her purse. “I think they’re about the same size.”
To this day, that baby onesie continues to be one of the kindest gifts I’ve ever received. I would not have blamed that woman if she asked the flight attendant to change her seat. But instead, she stepped closer to my distress, and met me right in my desperate need.
Giving need not be mysterious, difficult, or ostentatious. An envelope of cash, slipped into a mailbox in secret. A lawn mowed without a word about the effort. A few hours spent at a soup kitchen, doling out warmth in a cold winter storm. Giving is an opportunity toward more creative, beautiful ways to bless the weary world around us. The discipline of giving generously toward others always gives an even better gift in return through the Spirit: joy.
The grace of giving is a balm for humanity. Everywhere you look (if you look) you will find people in need. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Lord extols the virtue of sacrificial giving. We are encouraged to give to the work of the kingdom (Mark 12:13–17), to the Church (2 Corinthians 9:6–9), foreigners (Deuteronomy 14:28–29), the fatherless (Psalm 82:3), and widows (Psalm 146:5–9). As we see in the story of the widow’s offering, generosity is never a question of how much. When we believe that “the earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD” (Psalm 24:1)—including our money, time, and resources—there is nothing to keep us from giving what we have away, even if it feels like pennies. God, in His kindness, knows what we need.
Christ invites us into the same selfless giving that defined His life. The kind that makes your jaw drop and your heart leap. And the best part is, the practice of giving and its fruit bless others, but they also transform us in the process; our lives get to become the living embodiment of Christ to the world. My little gifts become tiny echoes, pointing to God’s ultimate gift. How cool is that?
So begin today. Look around, and see where you might give spontaneously and abundantly. God sees all, and will fill your spirit with joy, even as He blesses the world through your giving.
It truly is more blessed to give than receive. Let me reflect God‘s love in this way to a hurting world.
Lord open my eyes that I may sees need; open my heart that I will desire to give to the needs, and help me use what I have been blessed with (from You) to fill the needs
I spent 10years worrying about what would happen to me as a result if my partner leaving after 17 years together.
Everyday brought its own challenge, and everyday, I prayed for an answer.
When he decided to marry the woman, my heart sank, and I did too, as I waited for the letter fall through the letterbox to say we had to sell…
The letter did fall through the letterbox, with a solicitors address in the corner, one Saturday morning, all I could see when I opened it was his name in block and mine on the next two lines.. my heart hurt. I called our son and said “Dad wants to sell the house, what am I going to do”
My sons response floored me.. ” No mum, he has paid the last payment on the mortgage, and he has given you his share..” I have tears as I recall that generosity…that gift!
I tell you this, why?
But God..
A gift like that has never been taken for granted.. I was fearful to move on and had almost resigned myself to having to leave our family home..
But God..
He graciously heard me, for 10 years He heard me.. in those uncertain 10 years whilst I waited, I would give haven to many. From my sons school chums, to my friend who needed a break from her husband, to a young girl who just needed to know she was loved..to a lady who just needed respite from caring for her husband..
I still, NO, sorry, the house is still a haven.. a gift like that cannot be hidden or kept to ones self..
There is a cushion as you walk into the houses’ main room that says ‘ mi casa su casa’ translates to.. my house is your house..
Having been given a gift so big, so special, how can I not share, how can I not give back to God by sharing and giving space to others who need it!
All praise and glory to God, who absolutely first loved me..
Amen.
Happy today sisters wrapped in love❤
This has always been one of my struggles. As a child looking for affirmation, i always was the good child, but in a way of broadcasting my good deeds. And its carried on to adulthood. Now that i have my own kids, this hits a cord. Learning the value of giving quietly in love is hard. And the reward is sometimes unseen.
Lord show me ways I can give to those around me. Give my time, money, attention or anything else.
God loves a cheerful giver. And God is a cheerful giver Himself. He so loved that He gave. Giving is a byproduct of Love. What did He give? the most precious gift Jesus. We can’t never pay back. He values us that much. I love giving and it does come with practice. Sometimes I feel resistance when I give, there is a resistance force behind money. We can’t serve both God and Money. Choose God! Seek Him first. Money is a mere tool to serve God. Truly where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So whenever my heart plays these mind games of resistance (watch out, the heart is deceitful above all things), I tell my heart I will give more than what I first intend just to shut my heart up from doubting. It takes courage not to fear lack when giving. Be bold and give! It is more blessed for us to give than to receive. And God who sets the ultimate selfless example, He so loved that He gave. He so loved that He seeked not his own interest. We can so love that we give. Let us pay it forward by giving onto others, as onto the Lord.
being able to give to another in need is so awesome. thank you lord
Lord show me ways to give to others in my community this week. Amen