A poor man with little, wears shoes with holes. As another man with plenty of nice shoes, buys another pair for himself. A woman chooses instead of making coffee at home, to make her daily stop at a fancy coffee shop for her favorite latte. While another woman is just trying to put food on the table. A child whom has been given everything he wants, places little value in the toys that he has. Yet, not too far away there is another child who would be grateful to have received even the smallest gift.

Friend, though there is nothing wrong with having a dependable pair of shoes; it is wrong to have an overabundance, instead of giving to those that need but one pair. Treating oneself to a nice treat every so often is totally ok; when it is not done in abundance. For instead of a treat all the time, extra money could be offered to the needy. Children need toys and gifting them with them is totally okay! However, when we give them too much, often, they lose sight of what they have or they do not appreciate what they have been given. Maybe in gifting them things, we can also teach them the act of generosity to other children in need.

How great it is when we can give what we can, when we are able. When we place our value on not all about our wants, but the value of another human being and their needs. May we give unselfishly what we can with love, just as God so freely gives to us.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Proverbs 11:24-25 NIV

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Matthew 6:24 NIV

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Proverbs 28:27 NIV

Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

Proverbs 19:17 NIV

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.