The Joy Of Giving To Others
These past few years have been rough for many emotionally, mentally, and financially. As a result of what I have seen in our world over the past few years, my thoughts have shifted even more to what I can do to help. How can I give back more in these difficult times and where do I even start?
The Joy Of Giving To Others
One way that I have begun to give back during this time has been by donating food and clothing more frequently to charities. People need both food and clothing and for those of us who are blessed with more than enough no time is better for us to focus on sharing more to help meet the needs of others. While I enjoy helping to meet the physical needs of others I also see a real need to meet the spiritual needs of my community as well. Both physical and spiritual nourishment is greatly needed around the world today.
Where is our Mission in the United States of America?
Christians in the United States have always focused on missions around the world but in doing so we have sometimes forgotten the great need in our own communities. As a child, I would listen as speakers came to church who shared about their missions in countries around the world. My heart would go out to the people they spoke of and I would be compelled to give. However, I rarely heard anyone speak of the great need for similar missions here in the United States. As I grew up I would meet many people whose lives demonstrated this great need. As I encountered them I would find myself drawn to various ways that I could lend a hand or even speak hope and joy into their lives. It wasn’t until recently though that I really began to see how deeply troubled our nation is becoming. I began to notice almost daily the lies being accepted as truth, the pain experienced daily by many, and the financial hardships coming across our country. God never intended for us to just sit by when we witness this sort of thing happening around us. When Jesus Christ came to earth he demonstrated exactly what we were also called to do. He showed us how to love our neighbors the right way, to share the gift of His grace and forgiveness which he offers freely to us all, and to speak truth to those who are being misled. He said go into all the world and preach the gospel. This does not just mean traveling across the world it can also be to our neighbor right next door. It also does not mean to just preach it means to show love and kindness just as he demonstrated in his life here on earth. It’s being Jesus to those we encounter every day. It is making sure that when someone encounters us that they see Jesus working in our lives and showing them His love.
Show God’s Love And Spread Joy Right Where You Are
Throughout my life, I have not always done a great job of showing God’s love to others. I have spent many years hiding from who I was supposed to be and not speaking the truth. I pray that in those years others still saw and experienced God working in and through me but I know I wasn’t doing all I was called to do. Why not commit yourself today to finding various ways in your own community and personal daily mission field to impact others with His love and joy.
How Am I Trying to Impact My Own Community With His Love And Joy
These past few months as I have really been asking God for ways that he would like me to show love to others he has led me to a simple yet valuable way to impact my community. I want to encourage you to join me in impacting your own local community in a similar way. In neighborhoods around the United States, these incredible Little free libraries are popping up. You can locate these libraries in your own community by going to this website. My goal has been to search my bookshelves at home for bibles and devotional books that are in good shape that I am no longer using. I pray for God to lead me to the right library to place each bible or book in. I have started setting aside a small amount each month that I choose to purchase a variety of bibles to place in these small libraries. This has been an awesome experience for me as I have felt God leading me to do this and have witnessed the cool ways He has guided me in the journey. He has led me to purchase specific bibles and I have watched as they have often been gone within a day. He is actively allowing me to meet a need within my community to bring the truth of His love to others. My eyes have been opened to the fact that God in His marvelous ways can take a simple act of obedience and turn it into something that I can’t even imagine what the impact could be. He could use a bible in the hand of a child or an adult the same way he has in our lives to transform our lives and the lives of those we meet every day.
If You Do Not Know Where To Start I Welcome You To Join Me
Today I challenge you to join me in finding a way to do the same in your own community. Locate a Little Free Library today and start by prayerfully placing a bible or devotional in one of the many available libraries. Maybe add your personal testimony of God’s goodness in your own life or even a small gift card to bless the one who receives it financially also. You never know how great the impact could be on our entire country if we join together on this mission. Let’s start impacting our communities together for the kingdom of God. Donations of food and clothing are extremely important today in our communities but so is the word of God which feeds each of our souls.
What does the bible say about the Word Of God (The Bible)?
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
When you give bibles in this way you give the opportunity to others to receive the word of God that they may never otherwise receive. You do not need to be present for them to receive revelation from His word you need to only be obedient to His leading to give one. God has the power to place that bible in the right hands at the right time to speak into the life of the reader and begin the transformation that He already desires to do.
What does the bible say about giving gifts?
“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.”
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
In the Bible, God encourages us to give in many ways. He talks about giving to the poor, to those in need, to widows and orphans. Are we as Christians meeting the needs of those who we encounter daily? If not how can we start doing so today? Whether you choose to join me on this mission to provide bibles and devotionals to your community or to provide for the physical needs in your community I ask you to prayerfully consider where God would want you to begin. Start impacting our country and watch the change in your life as well as the community you are impacting. I know that God will absolutely show up and begin to change lives through your obedience and cheerful giving.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. ”
“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. ”
