I have to admit, I am not a natural “material giver”. It is hard for me to share my stuff. If the kids ask for a bite of my food or sip of my drive, I have to hold back my eye rolling and pity party. I mean seriously, I don’t like sharing my stuff!
I was the youngest of three girls and was very territorial growing up. I had imaginary lines drawn on the floor to divide what was my side and what was my sisters. I made sure when I poured out chocolate milk, all three of us got the same amount, exactly. I remember on Halloween I would count my candy, categorize them, document them in a ledger, and hide the candy. As my stash was kept safely away from scavengers, I would pillage on my sister’s candy. They never knew it, well until now as they read this! Sorry sisters.
So, when I feel the nudge to share a dinner table, money, clothes, or even sugar to the neighbor, I fight this weird hoarding little lady inside of me that wants to yell , “No!” and hide my things and call them all Precious. Cue Lord of the Rings.
So, I DO the very thing I don’t like to do. I MAKE myself share. I offer rides to people, I feed people, I host anything I can at my house, I share my money, and I have adopted contributing to charitable organizations. When I started to be open to sharing my money, I was on the search for the RIGHT organization that needed MY hard earned money. I wanted to MAKE SURE this money was going to good use.
Over time and after donating to several different institutions, I began to see giving was first about MY heart and second about the great benefits the money God gives me can do for others. Not the other way around. This may sound elementary, but giving is about loving.
It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.– Mother Teresa
Here are just a few of some great charitable organizations to LOVE:
I am sure that all this sharing will eventually not be so painful one day. I KNOW it is deemed good to share and my heart is in it, promise, or I don’t give at all. I actually find joy in my giving, it is just the initial release of my “stuff” that seems to pane a little. It is so weird. Before you judge, I pray for this pain to go away and that my giving is free and joy-filled at the onset. I’m being honest here. The pain is less, yet still there. I wonder if the pain will ever go away. Either way, I will give and give and give. I am grateful to be able to give whatever and whenever.
This post is of a 31 day series called Empower Your People. You are invited to join us and empower your people.
Today’s call: Give to a Charity
Go here for the entire list of calls as well as to join the empower your people project.