Generosi-TEA

"Giving" is often skipped over in sermons as pastors don't want to "upset" the congregants.

But God....in his word has lots to say about giving.

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of re-living many of the familiar rituals of my childhood church. However, this time it wan't at the large First United Methodist in Hopkinsville Ky, but at a small church, Berlin Methodist in Lewisburg, TN. 

• The Apostles Creed. 
• Doxology. 
• Lord's Prayer in unison. 
• Responsive Reading. 
• Offering Plate passed.

Berlin UMC is a church where a few seek to serve many, even with their tithes and offerings, "sowing bountifully and giving cheerfully." (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

I was impressed by their generosity, as most were widows or "senior" couples---you can do the math! "Doing good and sharing generously with others pleases the Lord." (Hebrews 13:16)

Plus, they sang my old time favorite, "Lord of the Dance," p.261 in the Methodist hymnal!

CHOOSE generosity

During the recent snowy/cold/rainy days, I decided to offer Maurice, our mailman a cup of hot chocolate. It's easy to offer him bottled water or cokes, his favorite----but to offer something cooked in our home is going out on a limb. Folks are understandably very leery these days of accepting home-made goods.

Relational fostering precedes such acceptance.

Easy also to choose bestowing generosity on Maurice, whom I like and then blogging the results, whatever they are! He's such a friendly, nice guy; whether he accepts it or not, will not change that.

However, notice in the entry title, "generosity" is written in lowercase letters as well as throughout the entry. That's because sharing this "generous" act was similar to "touting" which is rampant on all forms of social media.

True GENEROSITY is preceded by humility, is God-directed and is usually done anonymously.
I know that.
My cup of hot chocolate is a step in building a relationship of one who is a part of my life only because of my address. Ones's generosity to another is to benefit the receiver.
For me, that requires knowing a bit more about my mailman than his truck number or mail route times for my street.

RESULTS: I'm glad I offered Maurice a warm cup of chocolate.
He did not accept it, saying his stomach couldn't tolerate chocolate.
However, his refusal was gracious with a smile that warmed my heart.
Then, he added, "you know those cokes are still my favorite."

He's right I do know that cokes are his favorites. For that reason, I will keep them on my grocery list.

And if I'm not going to be home, I can just leave his "treat" in the mailbox.

He'll know who put it there.

GENEROUS??

10/6/12 ARE YOU GENEROUS? That's today's question. A YES to generosity is also God's answer to all of us. His generosity first gave us physical life and then through His Son gave us life everlasting.

Yesterday, daughter, Molly, gave me a gift that touched my heart----small pumpkins. A perfect seasonal gift for a librarian, who in small ways likes home decor to reflect time changes in a "frost on the pumpkins" sort of way. Molly had made them out of pages from "classic literature"--a tattered Jane Eyre found at a garage sale. A small act to some, but a BIG act of generosity to me.

God's word in Deuteronomy 15:4-6 reminds us that "God gives us a rich inheritance, richly blessing us as we are following His commands so that there will be no need for spiritually poor among us."

Whenever God's people live God's way, generosity abounds. (God Tube, 10/6/12)