Saturday, February 20, 2010

Give Freely From Your Abundance

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." -- Galatians 6:2

EFUMC is using the Lent season to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims. We were given soup cans wrapped in bright paper with small booklets resting inside. The "Change For Change" effort invites us to use everyday moments to help others.

Each day in the booklet gives basic information about a struggling area or people. We are then called to give money based on what we have. For example, one day says that "in most parts of the world, medical care, as we know it, is unavailable. Give 25 cents for each hospital or clinic within 25 miles of your home."

It's a wonderful idea and practice. It really causes us to think about what we have and what others don't have. I was all for it. I gladly brought the can home and sat it in a place I would see each day. I started off fine. Ash Wednesday called for us to give 25 cents for each person in our household. No problem. I dropped in 75 cents.

The next day we were to give 5 cents for each glass of water we drank that day. I could do that.

The following day I hit a snag. I was called to give 50 cents for each warm coat I own. Now, most of my coats are older. When a person reaches a certain age, she just has a few coats. Well, maybe more than a few. Okay. I own 15 warm coats. Some are a little warmer than others but I wasn't going to quibble over that. I really didn't know I had that many coats. And I do wear them. Just not all at once.

I kept thinking about all the people who don't even have one warm coat. Not just people in other countries or even in other states. We have people like that in our community. Yeah. You guessed it. Guilt is not a happy thing.

I guess that's part of what we're supposed to learn as we give money to help others. This thin booklet sure makes a person think. It makes me think. I have so much and others have so little. Maybe I could do a little more, give a little more, from the abundance God has given to me.