"Food" for Thought

I saw our Pastor’s sermon, “Generosity in Giving”, applied the other day while at work.  I don’t normally work up front at the cash registers, but it was very busy, and I got called to help.  The young woman whose groceries I was ringing up looked tired and a little nervous as she watched the subtotal go higher and higher.  After a point, she sighed and asked me to not ring up the rest.  She told me she had to stop there and apologized for having to leave the rest behind for us to put back.  As I took her money and her groceries were being bagged, the woman behind her told me to ring up the “leftover” groceries with her order and to make sure they got into the young woman’s cart with the others.  She would pay for them.  Both the young woman and I had tears in our eyes at the generosity of that woman. The young woman thanked her and left.  As the other woman paid me for her groceries she said she knew a time in her life when she couldn’t afford groceries and now that she can, she was glad to help someone else.  She didn’t have much but she could share.

I saw generosity in giving in that moment.  One had a need, the other had the means. Not only did the other woman meet the need but did it with an understanding of the woman’s situation and with a glad heart to give what she had to help.

Proverbs 11:25 came to my mind as I wandered back to my section of the store. “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”  Having been on both ends of generosity and getting to witness it at that moment, I felt refreshed, the young woman looked like a weight had been lifted, and I’m pretty sure the woman who showed generosity left with a lilt in her step.  it was a win-win all around!

We don’t need to wait for grand opportunities or worry that we don’t have enough to share, remember the Macedonians, “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” They were poor but begged for opportunities to be generous!  Wow!  

I know it should be enough to be generous because God is generous to us, but our giving comes with benefits. 

“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” Proverbs 18:16

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”  
2 Corinthians 9:8

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 
2 Corinthians 9:11

“’Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” Matthew 19:21

Those verses provide us with just a taste of God’s blessings when we freely give what He has given us.  Giving generously is so powerful that even witnessing it is like an overflow of blessings to those around.

Lord, help us to be more aware of opportunities to share what You have given us.  Let us not be hoarders, but givers; all working together to meet the needs of those around us.  May we be like the Macedonian people begging and earnestly seeking for opportune moments to be generous.  You have given us all things and may we, with open hands, give them back to You for we know that we will be enriched in every way and the result will be thanksgiving in You.

Worshiping with open hands and heart with you today,
Lisa