A Blessing in Giving 12/15/19
The great tradition of the man in the red suit brings about fantasy and smiles to children everywhere. From social media to news channels, you will find that even news commentaries show the path for this fictional character on the day of Christmas. Often you will find ornaments, stockings, wall plaques of “Just believe” printed for mass production. While buying and stocking up on these products emphasizing this phrase, we often pass by the red kettles with a single bell serving as a reminder to give to those less fortunate. Yet, all too often a reminder is all it serves with action falling short.
Last year our family decided to change that and promote a different kind of “Just believe” with an action of faith and love. We wanted to give unto others. Matthew 25:40 states, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. My husband and I sat down and discussed our plan with our two girls and we were ready for their questions. Why? Why does Santa not bring them what they want? How come they don’t have clothes? But to our surprise the questions were easy. What do they want? Can I help pick them out? We began our shopping and had picked out as many of the “wanted” gifts as our budget would allow. Still feeling inadequate in our gifts for this family, I sought out their mother to offer other possible ways that we could help. The mother provided additional information including the sizes for each of her girls through chocked sobs, at times. I hung up the phone and sat in silence.
What could I give? What could I offer? Then I remembered, I had bags of clothes that I was saving for my young daughter to grow into. I had reservations that maybe she would not want used clothes, what if they were not the right size, maybe the kids would only want something that was new, and more so, I found myself wanting to keep certain outfits claiming sentimental reasons. As I started to go through the bags, I discovered that the clothes waiting to be used where exactly the sizes the girls needed now. My youngest came and asked what I was doing. I explained that the girls from our foster family needed clothes and these clothes were a fit. She pondered for a moment, which I surmised as a rejection to the idea. However, when she spoke, I was taught a lesson. “Mom we need to go through each of these bags, and make sure that they each have one. She began to go through bag of her own. She was animated in how this exchange should go down discussing the content of what each bag should contain. My twelve year old joined in, so each of us separated the clothes by size and when all was finished, we had 5 bags of clothes to offer these three little girls. My own guilt still bothered me. I felt guilty for not giving more. I wished I could have gotten everything on their list, but we truly did not have a lot, and we had already extended our giving over the budget.
My girls were excited for the Giving Day. We agreed to meet at a local gas station, right outside of our town. The father and mother, who so graciously accepted our giving, gave their humbled thanks. The tears of the mother were seen by my daughters and I thought that this moment was where the power of giving would end. It was not.
Two days later, the true miracle would be known, and my guilt would be resolved. I received a call in the early morning hours, the day after Christmas. The mother was emotional, and somewhat crying over the phone. Her voice trembled as she expressed her deepest thanks for the clothes that had been given. Her girls had loved them and were so excited for Christmas break to be over with so that they could wear their new clothes. She shared the comments made by her children, “I will be dressed like the cool kids now”, “I feel like a princess” and “this is the best day ever”.
The blessing for us and the miracle for them was not found in the bought items, but rather, what I was almost too embarrassed to give. The blessing for our family was giving what we had lying around waiting for a child to grow into them. The miracle were the children that no longer had to wait to feel renewed. In giving what I thought was the least, I found out that we had given the most. What I thought might be improper, was instead an answer to a mother’s prayer.
Our family has forever learned the power of giving with what one can afford but also, giving what you can do without. In this season, where Jesus is the reason, find a way to give love beyond the walls of your own. Do something great, do something small, but do it, nonetheless. Don’t’ assume there are enough people doing God’s will. There is always the possibility that you will be an answer to prayer. There is always room for kindness, and charity and the greatest of these is Charity. 1Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Proverbs 11:25
“The generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”