This is the last installment of God’s Grammar, or The Verb Series: I Give. In February, the posts will focus on Lent, Life and Love and will include our first guest writer! Enjoy.
(Listen to the post above)
"God gave us the gift of life; it is
up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well." ~ Voltaire
One of the most consistent characteristics of wealthy people
is charity. Contrary to popular belief, those blessed with abundance are not
typically Scrooge-like – selfish in their own wellbeing with no thought of
anyone outside of their direct line of vision. Giving back, out of genuine sincerity or a tax write
off, is a regular exercise of the mind and heart, requiring the administrator
to pour out into others. But honestly,
what better way is there to enrich the world than to share some of what has
been acquired?
Charity actually has no dollar amount and consists of many
things; one can donate time to clean up a park or talent to make costumes for a
play. It could also be reading to a family member, teaching the alphabet to a
child or adult, or cooking an extra pan of lasagne for hungry college students
or those less fortunate. True
giving knows no hierarchy and is often overlooked by the less than discerning
eye, because it asks for no recognition.
It is what we do innately when we’re being our authentic selves.
“To give”, means “to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation;
bestow”, “to hand to someone” or “to place in someone's care”. An Old English word deriving from geifan and changed during Middle English
to yiven, its meaning details a level
of sacrifice. It shows honor, privilege
and responsibility on all parties involved because it is freeing, requiring no
debt be remained physically, emotionally or spiritually. Giving is the direct act of
participating in a blessing, the episode itself often living on in memory.
When we give, we are choosing to invest not only in the
world, but in ourselves. What is
put out is what ultimately returns, be it today or 50 years from now in our
later generations. Luke 6:38 reads, “Give, and it
will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running
over, will be put back into your lap; for the measure you give will be the
measure you get back.” We are all wealthy, and the ampleness of those spiritual
gifts, even when we’re oblivious, flows into all who can see them.
Consider
simply identifying one of the gifts you have in abundance and sharing a piece
of it with someone else, anonymously.
Peace and Praise,
Amina S. McIntyre
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