September 16, 2014

Giving Thankfully

Main image for Giving Thankfully

[intro]For a number of years, Riv folks have generously donated hundreds of holiday meals to local people who need them. It’s easy, and it can even be fun – planning, buying, packing, delivering. It’s an others-focused, rewarding way to kick off the holiday season. And you’re likely to feel a rush of happiness in the process.[/intro]

Giving When Giving is Disappointing

Often this project is a fantastic experience for both those who give and those who get; however, to be honest, sometimes it’s disappointing. Sure, it makes us feel pretty darn good to fill an empty tummy; but it doesn’t solve the situation that put a family in need of groceries in the first place. It definitely doesn’t follow the inherent logic of, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” On top of that, every person receiving the help has a unique response, which falls somewhere between two opposite poles – excessive gratitude and irritable entitlement. And everyone who gives has a unique perspective as well. So I guess the important question is whether or not this project is in line with God’s logic.

My husband and I gave it a shot not too long after we were married. At the time, we didn’t have a lot of extra cash. But we really wanted to help a family who had less, so we scrimped a bit – which probably involved something deeply sacrificial, like skipping the movies and passing on a Saturday morning coffee shop run. But doing that for someone we didn’t know made it feel as though we were really helping the poor, like Jesus commands. So we bought the groceries and made the drop-off arrangements. Soon we found ourselves ringing the doorbell of an apartment in a sketchy part of town, arms laden with food for the needy. A guy opened the door and invited us in to meet his friendly family, complete with several kids tearing around the house. So far, so good. But our enthusiasm dwindled when we saw we had interrupted dinner, which consisted of a full course McDonald’s meal hot off the press. And the entertainment system in the living room? Put ours to shame. In the end, we felt a bit duped because we’d wanted to help someone who REALLY needed it.

Mirroring God’s Love

But is that what it’s all about? Do we only give to those who, in our opinion, have earned or deserve it? Is that message of the gospel? In his book Prodigal God, Tim Keller explains that the story of the Prodigal Son is more about the father (as a picture of God) than about his demanding and wayward kid. It’s about how God pours Himself out in reckless love and keeps on giving, despite the fact that He has ego-centric children. As a result, we can love because He first loved us. We can give because that’s what God does for us. Every second of every day. Sometimes we respond with tears of thankfulness; but, perhaps more often, we grumpily ask why we didn’t get more.

I find that giving a basket of food is one little way in which we can resemble our God’s love – whether it is received with gratitude or without the slightest whiff of a thank you. We’re not so different from those we’re “going” to. In fact, we’re cut from the same cloth. And that is why we go. We’re not the Hope or the Giver or the Savior. We’re just passing along the lifeline to others who need it.

This year, we’re again inviting you to provide Thanksgiving dinner for a family who can’t afford the groceries to celebrate. You might start out by talking to your relatives or life group to see if they want to help in sponsoring a local family in need. If the answer is yes, sign up here to buy and deliver the food. (If the answer is no, you might think about doing it on your own.)

So go ahead and take the plunge. Expect the unexpected, and keep in mind that God is using you as a picture of His generosity. You might merely deliver groceries and a smile; but then you might have the chance to share about the ultimate Giver.

We are small pieces in God’s puzzle, and He is building a grand picture. One person and one piece at a time.

 

If you would like to personally deliver a Thanksgiving meal to a family in need, please sign up on or before October 5. (If you sign up after that, you’ll most likely be asked to deliver your donation to the church.)

Image credit: Rob Marquardt

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