Giving Followed by Thanks?

Thanksgiving, the one day out of the year everyone suddenly realizes how thankful they are for others. But only by words, actions seem to fall behind for the continuance of the year, myself included. Not to rain on anyone’s parade. Wow do I have an unusual way to write about the gesture of giving. I think in this particular year it is extra difficult to have the desire to give due to the hard economical times. It’s hard to not think of ourselves all the time. We seem to capture the spotlight in our daily situations. I wish sometimes I had the Lords eyes. The Lords view must be like ours when we are watching a soap opera or a movie, we see the entire story and we’re screaming at the television for the characters to “RUN”!!, “he does love you, turn the car around”!!, or “ if only you would have waited”!!. In my prior blog I spoke about never being able to see the big blessings, because of our lack of inconsistency. But I reckon that inconsistency is not the only reason for our missing out in blessings, as well as being able to watch the overflow of blessings for others in the stands. One might say that fear is an immense reason for our lack of giving. Fear of not having enough for ourselves, fear of not being able to pay the bills the following month, fear of what others may think, fear of money that seems to make so many people cautious. In our church’s and below are steeples we sing “lead me to the cross.” how about in the chaos, in the fear, in the doubt, in the fun, and kindly in the tears. Giving for the right reason is my biggest struggle, growing up I would think “well if I give him my pudding cup, the Lord is going to bless me with four cases of vanilla & chocolate pudding cups. I’m the one reaping the benifits.ha.” Low and behold I sadly report that I never saw those pudding cases. There have been endless times were I never saw the fruits to my labor, but I know they are not in vain. In my adolescent childlike thinking I now understand that in a small way I might have furthered God’s kingdom, or might have invited someone to come take a curious look. I pray that for the following year I might have a childlike faith. Many of us know the famous humbling story of the Child who gave his five loaves of bread and two small fish to Jesus. John 6:9 is a true testament to a child like faith. The disciples themselves ask how far this little amount will go? Many know the end to this story. Needless to say giving thanks, to me, must come with deeds. And willingly, effortlessly, and lovingly to see how far our generosity will go without expectations in return.
Live Out Loud
Gio Marcela