April 4 The Difficult Virtue of Sharing

I Samuel 25:11 Should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where? (Nabal's words to Abigail)

We had not lived in Africa very long when it started, hungry people at my door, or some in need of medical attention. It was just a piece of baguette spread with peanut butter, a cup of very sweet hot tea or a band aid or an aspirin. Not much, one at a time, but replacing the band aid or aspirin or getting more bread or peanut butter was not all that easy. And my husband was charged with looking out for the whole family. It was in that sense of responsibility that he came to me, asking me to reconsider feeding those who came knocking at our door. He had visions of our being eaten out of house and home.

But I couldn't withhold food when I had it. Wasn't that part of what God had called us to do there. And if I wouldn't share a band aid or chap stick or aspirin or piece of bread from what was certainly my abundance compared to their poverty, then why should they listen to us when we wanted to share Christ?

So, when I explained it all to him, he went along. And God was faithful. We never went hungry or in need of medicine, and I found creative ways to minister to the blind man, the pregnant mommy, the sick child and anybody else who knocked on my door with a need.

And here we are in the States. I can't remember when someone came to my door with those needs, but these same people exist in this country. The command to love one another continues to resonate; the imperative of ministering to the fatherless and the widows rings out. The "how" is in question.

Certainly sometimes we can minister to a specific need we hear about, but what about those we may not know about personally? How easy is it to give to the Benevolence or Deacon's Funds? How easy is it to give meaningfully to the Rescue Mission or Salvation Army or a mission agency's emergency fund?

I remember a student telling me she had the gift of giving, but everyone who received from her knew she gave to them. She had the immediate satisfaction of their thanks. That's the way most of us are built. We do and give and share because it feels good when people voice their appreciation. But the gift of giving, the one that gives God the greater glory is the gift giving anonymously, so that only God is given the glory and thanks.