Gifts All Year Long!
Posted by:
Bible Blogger on
December 20, 2006 at
6:55PM EST
Although sometimes it's hard to tell, this is the Season of Giving. I
know...shocking. It runs so counter to the "I want this and you can't
stop me from taking it" mentality that seems to run through society
most of the time but it really is the time to be giving.
Then again, I think all year is the time to give. There shouldn't be
such a thing as the "season of giving" as if we shouldn't give at all
for the rest of the year. I found this today while skimming around 1
John. It's Chapter 3, verses 17-19 (NIV):
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence"
Setting aside the obvious call for us to take care of our fellow man
and to put our faith into action by showing people we are more than
just someone who can spew Scripture on command this passage also gives
a call to give continually in faith.
Those verses mean if you're walking down the street on April 22, 2007
and a homeless man comes up to you and asks for a sandwich then you
give him the PB&J in your pocket (if you have one, that is. Tuna
also works well.) Maybe take him into the Subway on the corner and let
him pick out his own cold cut combo.
Those verses mean if you're sitting in your young adults group on July
8, 2007 and one of the single mothers is struggling finding time to get
some refreshing because she's running the kids to sports and working
two jobs that you volunteer to watch the kids some night so she can go
catch a movie. An even better move would be to give her the movie
tickets so she doesn't have to pay for them.
Those verses mean that when you're browsing the shelves at Fast Eddie's
Bookstore, Lube and Oil Change Shop on December 3, 2007 and you see an
elderly lady struggling to carry a heavy package out to her car that
you put down your copy of Oliver Twist and help her by carrying the
package. Opening the door for her would be a nice touch as well.
You see giving isn't just money or "stuff." Giving can be so much more
than just material possessions. I'd even go as far as to say giving
time can be more valuable than silver or gold in most situations. It's
sacrificing of yourself in many ways to benefit others and it's a great
feeling the more you do it. You end up blessing yourself more from
giving than you will ever realize.
So this Christmas as you're giving gifts and hopefully receiving a few
as well take a moment to think about how you can get these feelings
year round by putting your faith into action and giving all year long.
