generous you

Our church back in Knoxville (Fellowship) is doing a series on the Economics of Contentment.  The church is reading through the book Generosity by Gordon McDonald.  There is a devotion series on their website (fefc.com) that anyone can do.  We are one week in and have been humbled and taught so many truths.

Today started a 21 day challenge of Generous You.  A challenge where for the next 21 days you display generosity to someone.  Hopefully this is something you already do, not out of duty, but because of the power and love Christ has shown you, you can do nothing but show generosity.

Being generous can look like so many different things. Praying for a friend, giving someone money, taking a meal to a family going through a hard time, babysitting for someone for free, etc.  You could think of so many creative ways to be generous.

Steve and I are in and we are so excited. Prayerfully seeking ways that God may want us to bless someone in an unexpected way.  So this morning we are seeking ways to be generous.  This afternoon we go for a walk to the local bakery to pick up some bread.  On our way we pass a dumpster by some apartment buildings and what do I see??

An old, wrinkly, dirty, hopeless, gypsy woman digging through all the trash bags looking for something to eat.  I could literally just feel my heart sink....a pit in my stomach.  She made no eye contact as we passed. She was so focused on looking for something to eat.

I have NEVER seen someone digging through the trash for food.  I mean, she was really going to eat whatever she found. Eat out of a dumpster people!  


I know it happens, but to see it was so different.  I just wanted to look her in the eyes and hold her face in my hands and tell her she was made in the image of God and He has so much more for her life!  Oh, I could just go on and on about what I wanted to tell this poor lady.  If I only knew Romanian! (workin' on it)

So we go to the bread store and buy two loaves.  While we are on our way there and back we see many more gypsies and little children are running to us begging for food or money.  But, a little later as we walked back by the dumpster Steve handed me the bread to go give to this woman....still digging!

I walk over and hand her this large bag of fresh baked bread.  She made eye contact with me, her hands shaking as she held the bread and spoke something in Romanian.  All I understood was "multumesc." (thank you)

I got to thinking...
This woman was digging in trash to find some scraps to eat in hopes they would satisfy her appetite temporarily until she could dig some more or beg.  I fear that so many days I am like her.  Scrambling through my days, going through life looking for things that may temporarily satisfy my wants...my needs...my spiritual needs at times.  Scraps.  Trash.  Rubbish. 

And God has this "large freshly baked loaf of bread"... holding it out to me.  Sometimes I am just seeking a lesser glory....

He has so much more to offer than anything this world ever could.

 Today I was reminded not only to display generosity for the glory of God, but to not settle for scraps and trash.  Today was a reminder that I have all I need in Him. He is the only One who can satisfy our deepest desires...our deepest needs!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!