Author Steven Lake
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| Giving is the greatest joy ever! Tuesday, October 15th, 2013 12:31pm Keywords: (None) |
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| Here's another though for everyone to chew on. Over the past couple of days the topic of charity has come up. Various thoughts and opinions have been expressed and given, some without backing, and some with very sound foundations. The most stinging of all those though comes from a once favorite site of mine. I won't give the name because that's not important. What is important is the fact that they were forced to close down due to lack of contributions. Not just a shortfall. They were receiving NOTHING! Not one single penny. Yet their community wanted them to give to everyone unlimitedly without reservation, restriction or requirement. That sounds a lot like many of the people who are on welfare these days. Most, but not all, want you to give them EVERYTHING, but they will give you NOTHING in return and throw a big hissy fit if you ask them for anything. But I'm not blaming them for this attitude. I'm blaming those feeding the system for this. What do I mean? Well, let me begin by giving you a bit of a history lesson. For most of history, save for a few brief periods in time, there has been no public assistance system. If you were down and out, be that of your own ill choices, or circumstances beyond your control, it was the charity of individuals, and NOT the government, that provided for the daily needs of those less off. And you know what? There weren't the problems out there that you see today. For one, people who were down and out were encouraged to get back on their feet as soon as possible. Those that chose not to work simply either starved or were jailed because they turned to a life of crime. You didn't have the issue of laziness you have today. You wanted it, you earned it, regardless of the sacrifices. You also gave to help others, regardless of the sacrifices. The point I'm trying to make here is this. It's not about welfare. It's not about charity. It's about sacrifice. Nobody wants to sacrifice anymore. The common modern attitude among most people is "me first" and 'what's in it for me?" It's the entitlement mentality. I'm sorry, but nobody owes you anything, period, at all, never, nada, none, nothing. The same also goes for giving. If you don't give to those in their time of need, who will give to you in yours? Case in point. There was a local man who died just recently who gave and gave and gave and gave. He almost never accepted anything from anyone, and you know what? His passing has left a massive vacuum in our community. But that should never be so. We should all be so others minded that our little problems and needs in this world should seem like pittance in comparison to what we do for others. It's like the JOY principle. You can't have true Joy until you put Jesus first in your life, then Others second, and Yourself ALWAYS last. ALWAYS. Anytime you put yourself first, your life loses meaning, it loses its joy, and it loses its purpose. But if you put Jesus at the absolute first place in your life, and others directly behind him, you will have a joy unspeakable. You will find that the things you thought were needs are really just selfish wants. Toys, as one person once put it. So remember, always be charitable to others, give until it hurts, aid where aid is needed, feed where food is needed, love where love is needed. If you can't give of your wallet, give of yourself, give of what you have. But whatever it is, just give. Be that one who gives until they can't give anymore. Because by setting an example of charity you will change your world for the better, and the day that you become the one in need, you will find your blessings overflowing, and the giving you gave without reservation returned to you in kind, more than doubled and well overflowing. So always remember, be the giver whenever you can. Don't let others be the ones who have to be charity in your place. Be what you want others to be. Give what you want others to give. Be that example. That is all for today. |
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