Seasons of Giving

The Christmas count down has officially begun and with only 20 days left until the "big day" people's minds are focused on filling Christmas wish lists and purchasing supplies for holiday baking, the big Christmas feast and even New Years celebrations.  This is also the time of year when many people donate to charities and just like stores depend on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to get out of the red, many charity organizations depend on Christmas time to fill their budget for the entire year.  Bell ringers can be found outside many stores, charities such as Angel Tree ministries, and local food banks are sending out fliers requesting financial donations or gifts for young children.  And many of these organizations know they will struggle greatly throughout the upcoming year if they don't receive enough Christmas donations.  And though I don't oppose Christmas giving, I often wonder why so many people only think to give at this time of year.

Even many Christians only give to charity at Christmas time but as Jesus once said "The poor are always with you" (Matthew 26:11a).  And I believe those words are more true now than they were when first spoken by our Savior.  The poor in the world have not gone anywhere and despite this being one of the richest nations in the world, millions of American citizens go everyday without the basic essentials of life.  The poor and homeless don't suddenly find homes and jobs (or better paying jobs) once the New Year begins.  Children who don't have enough food don't suddenly have full kitchens after the holidays are over.

Now I am not bashing anyone for giving at Christmas time!  If you give only at this time of year, it is better than not giving at all.  However; we need to consider giving in all seasons.  The opportunities are always there, though sometimes you may have to look a little harder to find them.  But, you may say, I live on a fixed budget and I can't afford to give money to charities.  First, I would ask you to truly consider if you have nothing to give financially.  Think about it.  How many times did you purchase soda in the last month?  How many times did you go out to eat at McDonald's or Burger King?  Giving up on soda a week gives you $1.50 (approximately) that you could save to give to a worthy charity and skipping one meal at McDonald's a month can give you $6.00 to help someone truly in need.  It really doesn't take much to feed a person, in fact, many homeless shelters and food pantries can manage to provide a healthy meal for approximately $1.20 per person (Christian Fellowship Ministries, Dec 2014).  So that one soda just paid for a meal plus left .30 cents for another.  To find a Biblical example of giving when you don't think you have enough to give, is one that most of us are familiar with.  The story of the rich man and the widow as found in Mark 12:44 "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."  

If you honestly can't afford to give any financial support for a charity or organization, look for what you can give.  For instance, no homeless shelter has likely ever said "We don't need anymore volunteers," and neither has any soup kitchen.  I would almost be willing to bet that after the Christmas season is done and over with, the volunteers that were coming out of the wood work to help, have vanished back into the wood work.  Volunteering can use a wide variety of skills including cooking, cleaning, mentoring both children and adults, and teaching.  In many cases the less fortunate want and need more than a simple meal.  They need a skill that can help them improve their lives.  Poor children need to know that they are loved and that life doesn't always have to be the way it currently is.  I will even go as far as to say that down trodden need hope more than anything else!  Because honestly, what good is a warm meal and a place to live if your life is without hope beyond today!  If there is nothing else a Christian had, we most certainly have the hope of eternal life in Christ out Lord and we should be bursting at the seems to give that all year round!! 

I guess the point of this, somewhat rambling post, is this; all seasons should be seasons of giving.  We should all reach out and give with the same heart and conviction that the poor woman in Mark 12:44 did and so many since then have done.  The poor are always with us and they always need support, so after the Christmas season is over and we settle into our "post" holiday lives, we need to consider making all four seasons, giving seasons and this world will be a more blessed place for us all.