*From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)*
I was expecting to find a to-do list on the website of exactly which action to take on each day of the month, and I was really excited that it's nothing like that. What the 30 Days of Giving is about is bringing the whole IDEA of giving to the front of your mind, and helping people to focus on doing things for others.
It's like the new song from Matthew West called "My Own Little World." If you haven't heard the song, here's a link to the song on youtube. What hits me about the song is just how simple it is to find people every single day who are in need.
Physical needs like shoes, coats, hats, scarves...
Needing food...
Needing clean drinking water...
Needing someone to talk to...
Needing hope...
Needing salvation...
How often do I look the other way when there are needs before me? How often do I AVOID the homeless man or woman because "I don't have time" or because "they look funny." I want to become aware.
I remember Service Week in grade 10 with my high school class. We went to Toronto for a week, and I don't remember what month it was, but it was cold outside. There were people sleeping on the streets in boxes. There were people sleeping on park benches. There were people who wouldn't even meet our eyes begging for money, or food, or even just the recognition that they are human. I remember feeling shocked that these people lived so close to me, and I had all my needs filled when they didn't have anything.
This month is not going to rid the world of poverty, or find homes for all the homeless, or feed every hungry child in Africa; but if we can change our hearts, maybe we can change the life of one person.
Maybe we can give shoes and coats and food.
Maybe we can speak of the hope we have.
Maybe we can be all the difference between life and death.
I'm going to give. And I hope it won't just be for a month.
-A
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