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It All Begins with You

I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

—Matthew 25:35

It’s easy in our culture to gloss over the needs of our neighbors and those who are still strangers to us in the world. We can pass by the homeless and imagine that they just weren’t very good at managing their money or they really should join AA or some other “will somebody else please fix them” program. We may even give to United Way or some other such agency through the places we work. That makes giving so easy we don’t even have to think about it. To us, it’s just a loss of income anyway.

So how can we recognize the opportunity we have to act like Jesus? How will we differentiate the mindless-though-helpful giving from the kind that causes us to stop and notice what we’re actually doing? When you give with a full intention, from the heart, isn’t that more of the idea that Jesus had in mind?

Giving is always a choice. Whether you put your heart and mind into it is also a choice. Feeding others is not simply a matter of buying a meal. It’s a function of inviting them to the feast of a gracious God who gave everything for our good.

Giving begins with you. It keeps you in the flow of blessing in ways that nothing can measure. Is anyone thirsty in your midst today? Be their blessing.

Give from the heart with cheerful and loving intention.

QUIET THE WAVES

Lord, show me how I can open up my heart and be more generous to others. I know that you have been more than generous to me. Amen.