Got Fruit ?

It’s funny how things can come full circle. About two weeks ago I left a reply over at Longing for a Holiday at Sea. The rundown is this: Lorraine had a post titled Sinning as I Post (and a Note For Those Among Us Who Are Divorced) (see the comment by Christopher), to which I responded in a half joking, sarcastic manner. Nothing negative between the two of us, just a few emails back and forth and some laughs. In the reply I explained to Lorraine that after consulting my pseudo “Sin Manual”, she needed to perform several “works” to atone for her sins, to include her un-Christ-like attitude toward the down and out old guy that she snubbed on the way into Wal-Mart. All of this was just playful banter mind you.

Sooo… last Friday where am I at after work? Yep, Wal-Mart; I have a can of sardines, half a gallon of milk/butter in the fridge, a loaf of bread that’s grown a green goatee, and something that I think was once meat!! My kids are coming over for the weekend and I need to get some vittles for the knuckleheads; however I decided to stop at Wally-World first versus picking them up from their mother’s house and then dragging them through the store with me.

So as as I’m walking from my Yota up to the storefront, I notice a 15 passenger van from one of the 300 churches in my town (+/- 3) in the parking lot. Now a year or so earlier, my radar would be on, as I diligently tried to scope out the location of the seekers of a donation, before they saw me or made eye contact; thus affording me the time to come up with an excuse lie to not give a “donation”. But hey, Jesus is working on my heart, I’m a changed man; my butt cheeks no longer clinch tight during Sunday offering, and if I feel so moved by the Holy Spirit to share/bless someone or an organization, I usually follow through. As I approach the entrance to Wal-Mart a gentleman from the church politely and kindly asks if I would like to donate to help out battered woman and children. I tell him that I have no cash on me, but would get some after shopping. As Kryptonite is to Superman, so there is my weakness! The other being a 2lb bag of Werthers Original.

Into Wal-Mart, I go, and about half way through the shopping spree I recall that I did in fact have $ on me from some T-Shirts that I had sold earlier! I’m all giddy now because I realized that the T-Shirts we’re fitting into a plan that the Lord had revealed to me in the latter part of last year. I’m so excited now and ready to go give this guy the money. So I make my way out of the store; searching for him, but he’s gone. Well, I’m a little disappointed now, and feel as though I missed an opportunity to witness a small piece of God’s plan at work. But I’m not too upset, because it’s not like I was deceitful, I had every intention of donating, I just wasn’t immediately aware that the source of the donation wasn’t out of my pocket, but rather out of one of my side gigs. So ends the day.

Saturday afternoon rolls around, and once again… I’m back at Wal-Mart!!!! Well, as I approach the store, the gentleman from the night before is there again. We exchange a few greetings, I leave a donation, then go into the store to get some vittles, for the knuckleheads and I. But wait….there’s more!!

So now I’m leaving the store, and another group of guys from another of the 300 (+/-3) churches in my town are outside “asking” for donations. I spied them earlier, so I’m in “Head-down” mode… to avoid eye contact. Well one of the seekers of donations “marks” me and approaches. He hits me with: “Hey big guy!, Why don’t you help us out!”CRINGE (I’m now reverting back to butt cheeks clinched mode by now). Well, I politely explain to him that I had already given to another cause, and I go about my way. However, I’m actually feeling a little steamed as the kids and I make our way back to the car, and all that I can reconcile, is that it’s not that my heart is in the wrong place as much as it is the way that I was approached, which turned me off. I felt like this guy was trying to make me feel obligated (guilty) to donate.

Since my kids we’re with me,I felt a need to explain them the difference in my actions regarding the two similar yet different situations, not for the sake of me giving them an excuse to make myself feel better, but merely to express that being a Christian does imply that we extend our blessings onto other, that we be good stewards of what God has given us, and that we be be mindful to be graciously willing to help out anyone that is less fortunate. See? I didn’t feel compelled, other than by the Holy Spirit to give in situation #1; because the gentleman approached me with the grace of an eagle, he seemed sincere in his mission, in situation #2 however it was an aversion, I felt as if though the guy was a vulture, hovering overhead to pick at my bones.

For the past few days this has nagged at me, partially because I knew that I would write about it, but had been putting it off and; because I didn’t know how or where to address this from a Scriptural perspective. This evening I found the answer to my question in 2nd Corinthians (I like the NIV wording a little more):

2nd Corinthians 9:6 (KJV)

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Bountiful

1. Giving freely and generously; liberal.
2. Marked by abundance; plentiful.

2nd Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Generous

1. liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish: a generous patron of the arts; a generous gift.
2. free from meanness or smallness of mind or character; magnanimous.
3. large; abundant; ample: a generous portion of pie.
4. rich or strong in flavor: a generous wine.
5. fertile; prolific: generous soil.

Grace and peace be with you

Another take on giving