“It is well with those who deal generously and lend.” Psalm 112:5
This isn’t my story, but I heard Shane Claiborne (https://sojo.net/biography/shane-claiborne) speak at a synod event a few weeks ago. He once traveled with other community leaders to volunteer and work with Mother Teresa in India for a time. Shane was working with children. Although volunteers were told not to do something for one without doing it for all, he knew it was this one little boy’s birthday which would otherwise go unnoticed. So Shane decided to buy an ice cream cone for him and was excited to hand it to the little fellow with a “happy birthday. ” The boy’s face lit up with surprise and delighted wonder and was soon surrounded by his friends. What happened next surprised Shane. The boy made the other children get in a line and announced quite seriously that they each would get one lick. And so the ice cream cone was passed down the line with each child getting a cherished taste. Shane too was handed the cone to lick at the end before it was the birthday boy’s turn.
Even the poorest and least among us can have generous hearts. I have written before about how I received generosity on the trail. Meanwhile I am still learning that it is not that I should be generous. Instead, it is simply a good and healthy practice for me and my soul to be generous because that is how each of us is created by a generous God to be. The little boy knew that the opportunity for generosity is the best part of a delightful gift. May we all learn this so well.
Suggestions:
1. Take this verse with you and ponder its meaning for you throughout the day. What do you notice? What do you wonder? Can you tell a story of generosity?
2. Or read all of Psalm 112 and see where these verses fit in.
3. Or comment with a photo of your own that is a window of this verse’s meaning for you.
Tomorrow’s psalm will be Psalm 113:5-7.
Starting January 1, 2016, for 150 days I am posting a daily psalm verse with a photo that is a visual meditation on the text for me. Each day a verse from the next psalm is chosen until all 150 psalms have been featured. To participate you may subscribe to my blog at https://elainedent.net or “friend” me on Facebook and watch for the daily links to blog posts. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer and most of the photos are from a cell phone or small camera while hiking the Appalachian Trail or the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage Trail.
Judith Plotner says
Amen!!!!!! And I remember that Steve and I could not have rented our moving truck to move to Wellesley all those years ago without the generosity of you and Rick…:-)
Elaine Dent says
That one is absolutely gone from my memory. I need you to tell me my stories. Keep remembering for me when I am 90.
Judith Plotner says
I may need others to remember for ME when I am 90!! 🙂 Chris told me that he thinks that I need to start writing my stories…
Sue Smith says
I am just catching up on some of these, and this is a beautiful one. Living a generous life can be a challenge for me as a priveleged American. I sometimes look at what I have and think it’s not enough! How is that possible when I have so much?