BEING GENEROUS - THE BUCKET TRUCK

BEING GENEROUS - THE BUCKET TRUCK

Early in the week, Jane and I saw that someone had thrown a pair of gym shoes up onto the telephone wires at the entrance to our street. I have a very long metal branch cutter, but the shoes were on the “hot” wire, so we decided it was better to pray for another way to get them down. Then yesterday, up pulls Raul’s son-in-law in a bucket truck! My neighbor Raul has a very generous heart so the Lord had an easy time working in him to help us out. I went over to see if they would get the shoes down and they laughed and said yes. We all got a big chuckle out of the fact that two of us were wearing the same kind of shoes that were caught up on the wire (only a different color) and we made jokes about them maybe being our size and we’d be getting a new pair.

In the Old Testament we’re told, “If there is a poor man among you, one of your fellow Israelites, in any of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not be heartless, nor close-fisted with your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend to him whatever he needs” (Deut. 15:7-9 AMP).

After the shoes came down from the telephone wires, I was in my garage sorting out all the art supplies I wanted to give away. Along came a girl I’d never met. We talked and it turned out she was a beginning art student in college and I was able to give her an easel, a clip board for her drawing classes, new canvasses and some other things that she told me were too expensive for her. I was thrilled. Just being able to be generous was reward enough in itself.

David talks to God in First Chronicles 29: 12-14 and reminds us that what we have comes from God in the first place: “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand is power and might; and it is in Your hands to make great and to give strength to everyone. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer as generously as this?”

We can never be more generous than God. But we are told to “be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5: 1-3).

In Isaiah 32: 8 we’re told that generosity is a noble act: “But the noble, openhearted, and liberal man devises noble things; and he stands for what is noble, openhearted, and generous.”

Proverbs 11:17 tells us: “The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him]. (AMP).

Jane and I like do something generous when we go to a buffet. After we are served our beverages, we get out a generous tip and put it right on the table. Servers rely on their tips, so if we put out the tip early, they don’t have to be nervous, wondering, “Am I going to get a tip from these two?” Also, by doing this, we always get great service and the next time we come, they’re happy to serve us again.

First Timothy 6: 17-19 says, “As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share.”

 We are all rich in something, whether it’s a son-in-law with a bucket truck, extra art supplies, an extra dollar for a tip, a compliment or a smile. Let’s make a little extra effort this week to open our eyes to where we can be generous and see how great it feels.

Love, Carolyn

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