A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON GIVING

My momma taught me to always help those who are less fortunate. She ingrained in me to “do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.” So that’s what I did. As a teenager, I would often volunteer in soup kitchens and shelters, loving every minute of it. But as a busy working adult with little free time, I eventually found myself no longer volunteering. I wanted to serve, to help people in need. I just didn’t know how I would have the time to do so. I felt extra compassion toward the ones I passed everyday: the homeless. Living in a big city, I pass countless homeless people every day on my way to work. But I never felt comfortable giving them money; I thought I might be enabling them in some sort of addiction. Shamefully, I let that thought rule me, so I drove past them, giving nothing. Then one day it hit me: money isn’t the only thing I could give him; I could give food, water, even clothing. So, one day I searched my car for anything I had on hand. Thankfully, I had a granola bar. I reached out and handed the bar to a man, and he gratefully accepted. After that, my perspective changed forever. Even with a busy schedule, I could still serve. I work at a bulk discount store, so I have plenty of snacks to spare. Now, I carry apples, granola bars, water bottles, and clothes I don’t wear anymore, always ready to give at a moment’s notice. Matthew 25:34-45 speaks of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty. Scripture tells us whatever we do to the least of these, we are doing unto Him.