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holding hands "It is in giving you receive and receiving you give"

Rediscover the Joy of Giving

Nov 3, 2015

We will soon enter the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas—the season of giving. Perhaps you are already receiving requests for donations. The Giving USA Foundation said in its annual report that the 2014 tally of $358.38 billion donated is the largest in the 60 years the organization has been tracking charitable activity. And much of it went to religious organizations. (Smith, Aaron. “Americans’ gener-osity has never been like this.” Money.cnn.com. CNNMoney, 16/6/2015. 20/10/2015)

By much of the world’s standards, we Americans are considered rich. My friend moved to Minnesota from Africa and tells of her people and those who lack food - if they are really destitute, they cut down to eating one meal per day, out of necessity. Most of us in America don’t have to experience that. Of course, in the United States we not only make more income, but we also have a higher cost of living than much of the world. And, it is difficult to think of giving if we are barely making ends meet. Yet, consider this:

Giving is powerful action. Giving does as much, or more, for the giver. It changes the heart of the giver. It breaks the hold of self-focus that is so prevalent in our culture and it loosens the hold possessions have on us in our materialistic world.

Giving is not so much about the amount given. Scripture teaches percentage giving. In other words, give a percentage of your resources. That applies whether a person has much resources or little.

Giving invests in eternal values, things that last forever such as peoples’ lives and heavenly values.

We are most like God when we give. “God so loved the world that He gave…” (John3:16).

My pastor said this:  Do all the good you can do today.  That means kindnesses done and resources shared.   (Because none of us are promised tomorrow.)

Sounds similar to what Quaker missionary, Stephen Grelle, said:

expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. (Grelle, Stephen. “Quotes About Kindness and Giving.” Inspiration Peak. c. 1997-2008. 10/20/2015).                              

Written by Chaplain Sherree Lane