Monday, December 5, 2011

Giving.

{poncho - F21}

For some reason, talking about 'giving' makes people uncomfortable.  One of the things (among too many to even mention) that I love about my family is their ability to give unselfishly. 

If I ever need anything, my mama is the first person to give it to me.  Never mind the fact that she gives of herself every day to patients and gets paid crap; money to my mom is just money - she has very little and is the first person to step up and give it all away.  My twin, who I call 'Buddy' or 'Twin', is the same in that he is quick to give whatever he has, even if it's not a lot.  I remember going off to college and not having the money for books; I called Buddy crying and he paid for them on multiple occasions.  My sister, Wendy, was the first person to make sure I knew my son would be taken care of when I learned I was pregnant (followed closely by her husband, Jason).  My sister, Helen, has given her life to serve the Lord and others.  At the age of 29, she knows where He wants her (Brazil) - how many people can say they know exactly where God wants them to be?  She's living on a teacher's salary in the south, pays a mortgage, and is still able to tithe what little she has left.

It really hurts my heart when my friends share their financial struggles with me or when I see my family struggling financially; I find myself wishing I had the money to help.  I've learned from my family that we're called to give until it hurts - a concept that not a lot of people really understand.  I understand living within my means and I am constantly looking for ways to save money.  I also believe in the importance of saving money for emergencies and paying off high interest loans.  Above all of this, I believe in the importance of giving to our neighbors.

This weekend, I learned a pretty valuable lesson about giving as I examined my reactions to mutliple friends in my life; on one hand, I am supportive, on the other I sometimes decide, "well, you got yourself into this mess..."  I learned that it's not up to us to decide whether or not another person is worthy of a gift; if he/she needs it, give it.  As I am, I am so unworthy of the love of God and I am so unworthy of this life, so who am I to judge someone else's situation? 

It hit me like a ton of bricks this morning - GIVE AS YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN.  During the holiday season, we all get caught up in our own circles and forget to look around at all the people who don't have what we have.  Even worse, we forget the true meaning of Christmas and the awesome, selfless love of Christ who gave without reason.  If you have even a little bit to spare, I would really challenge you to help those who don't, regardless of their circumstances.

A little kindness goes a loooooooooong way.

3 comments:

  1. We all need a reminder, Marielle! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. Great thoughts! I totally agree that there is so much power in giving!

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