I've been thinking today about giving -- you know, the kind acts you do for other people, the things you give to them, the time you share with them, and the way you dispense those gifts, whether literal physical gifts or kind actions. I'm a pretty selfish person and have often found it hard to follow the old axiom 'give till it hurts'. Giving till it hurts isn't a fun image -- (OK, hurting is not a fun image for any reason, giving or otherwise) -- and we are part of a world that teaches us to take care of #1, reminds us that if we don't 'treat' ourselves, no one else will, and that what we have is ours -- after all, we earned it, right?
Once again, C.S. Lewis had a great comment to make on that subject:
"I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." (C.S. Lewis)
WHAT?? More than we can spare? Is he kidding? But with time and thought, I begin to see. That's why we are never given a dollar amount for fast offerings in our church. I've always wanted to be told exactly what to give and it just doesn't happen. That's because the only safe rule is to give more than I can really afford. Why? Because it stretches me, it makes me better, and it teaches me how blessed I really am. And if, in the process of my growth, someone else is blessed too, so much the better.
9 comments:
i need to keep that giving thought in mind. sometimes at school, i get real sick of giving - to other teachers that is. not so often to my kids, but i'm sure i need to give something more to them. but i struggle with putting up with short comings in other people. thanks jan!
thanks for the reminder to give today. i needed that! great thoughts.
I need to do better in that department too. Sometimes I would like to give, but it doesn't occur to me. It's like sometime's Heavenly Father gives me a nudge because I will be spacing out and missing the opportunity to help somebody, and all of a sudden it will hit me to do something. Duh pay attention Jori! :)
Excellent thoughts! Now I feel like I need to go do some service!
That was a great thought. I know I can do better there too. That's funny about the fast offerings I'm t he same way. "Just tell me how much I should give" :)
Great thoughts Jan! I think we can all be better at giving.
PS Thanks for the birthday card :) too cute!
that is great. give til' it hurts. i need to keep that in mind.
That's so true about Fast Offerings/CS Lewis quote. I had never thought of it like that, but I know what you mean. Sometimes I think it's even easier for me to give up a dollar amount than my time, but time is just as important...Great thoughts, Jan. I love all these CS Lewis quotes.
I don't want to burn anyone out on C.S. Lewis but I find that he expresses exactly the way I am feeling -- only better! He's the man!
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