3:37 p.m. Today's project was to spend a day at home with my husband, sleep in a bit later than usual, enjoy morning devotions, and then putter around the house and garden as good retirees should.
But since my Christian life tends to be anything but quiet, and everyone knows I'm available during the day, it didn't take long for the first call to come in. A young friend and mom of three called to see if I (or the ladies on our ladies' helps team) could provide meals over the weekend for a wonderful woman at church with almost paralyzing pain in her back. We shared our deep concerns, and I settled on making my "No Peek" chicken and rice dish that serves eight. That way, our friend and her husband could have dinner for at least 2 days.
What a blessing to be asked to serve in this way, meet a basic need and provide encouragement as Steve and I deliver the meal! Jesus is quoted in Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." I especially prize the fellowship that giver and receiver enjoy during a visit, which I tend to keep brief when a person is hurting--laying on hands and praying, and then letting them get on with their evening.
Just before Steve and I went out to work in the garden, Jan from church called to ask if I could drive a gal to her doctor's office in Riverside for an 8:30 appointment tomorow. She'd been driving herself, but her car is in the shop. (Funny thing, so is mine! After two weeks, I'm wondering if I need to pull up some photos to remind myself of what it looks like)! At least I have Bob and Debbie's Ford Focus to drive. So I agreed to help, and voila! Later on, I got the good news/bad news that at 5:00 p.m. my Jeep will be done, and they'll send someone to pick me up. The bad news? Paying the $500 deductible...ugh. The "ransom" is a small price to pay, I suppose, for the independence and convenience of driving my own car again, and not having to impose on others, even if they volunteered the use of their car.
Funny how we jump right up to help others, but always feel a bit hesitant about being helped! Is it the desire for privacy in our struggles, the pull of pride, or pausing before inconveniencing others? Probably all of those emotions have gone through my head in the last two weeks. I think it is actually easier to give than receive for most Christians! Why? Because we generally have food, clothes, money or time to spare here in our nation, a nation truly blessed with abundant geographical and material wealth. Add legendary American ingenuity, another gift from God, and we have built the most prosperous--and most generous--society ever known. When any of us do have lack, it is generally temporary, due to a serious trial, rather than endemic, as in third world countries where dictators have plundered the natural resources for their own enrichment.
We have much to praise the Lord for! Therefore, we need to remember Luke 12:48 (NLT)always:
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
Let us live a joyfully balanced life, both giving and receiving.
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