Confession: I’ve found it’s easy to care about the destitute and hard to find ways to make a difference.
This week I found a postcard in my mailbox:
“On May 12, 2012, letter carriers across the country, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, will be collecting food for families in need.
It’s easy to help:
- Collect and bag non-perishable* food items.
- Place by mailbox for letter carrier to deliver to a local food bank or pantry.
*Donate items like canned meats, fish, soup, juice, vegetables, pasta, cereal and rice. Please do not include items that have expired or are in glass containers.”
What an opportunity, right at my doorstep!
If I tried hard I could get cynical and say “Well yes, but will my gift go to the truly needy or to the undeserving needy?”
Do you think I must figure that out? Do you think I can? Or should I give in good faith to a good cause? Probably there were a few career beggars in the 5,000 Jesus fed. He said some people followed Him because of the fish.
And I suppose I, on the other hand, deserve the good things I’ve been given?
This opportunity knocked at my door, and I’m in. Anyone else?
Yes…that happens in our area too, and whether someone is unjustifiably getting what they don’t deserve, we’ve done the giving that Jesus has asked of us…and yes we’ve gotten so much more than we deserved! Maybe sometimes I’ve been in that crowd of 5,000 too. And sometimes it’s easy to forget the true riches of Christ that we’ve been given undeservingly and think only about the fishes!! Really, Mercy has been given to us so we don’t have to get what we really deserve! Thanks, Shari, for the reminder for Saturday!!
I love this drive because it is so super accessible! It’s as simple as pulling some items off my pantry shelf that I will not be needing in the coming week and putting it in a brown paper bag by the mailbox. No excuses like: I don’t know where to take it or who to give it to or I don’t have time, blah, blah, blah…