Everyday, we have opportunities to give.
We can put our spare change into the donation cans at your local restaurant. You can buy a shirt, chocolate, coffee, etc. to support a cause. You can sponsor a child. You can fund a scholarship. You can buy a lifetime of water for someone in Sudan. You can run a race. And the list goes on.
While Scripture tells us to be generous, and giving large donations towards noble causes is admirable (and important!), I don’t believe that the amount is what matters most.
When it comes to giving, what matters is your heart. We see this evident in Mark 12:40-44 when Jesus praises the widow who offered her two small copper coins.
Giving enables us to connect with causes that are close to our hearts and to partner with and share in the ministry of the organizations and people we support. Giving serves as a tangible way for us to support what we are passionate about.
When we give, we are connecting ourselves with the mission of the person or organization that we are giving towards. And, as we share in their ministry, it gives us a heightened interest in the things that they are doing — because we are their co-partner. While we might not be actively engaged in the ministry itself, we are invested.
So, I want to encourage you to give towards the things that you are passionate about.** Because giving (not only money, but also time) is a way to invest in the things that you are passionate about, in your friends and community, and giving helps foster deeper relationships with others.
No amount is too small. As seen in Matthew 14:13-21, we serve a God who turned five loaves of bread and two fish into enough to feed five thousand men, not counting women and children!
As I look towards this coming year on the World Race, one of my goals has been to set aside enough money to continue to give when my salary has ended. I want to remain connected to the people and organizations that I have been richly blessed by and that I have been partnering with over the years. I want to stay invested, regardless of how small my contributions may be.
And, as I look forward, I also want to acknowledge all the people who have faithfully and generously supported me as I’ve worked to raise the necessary funds for this trip. God has made Himself evident to me in your generosity, and I am incredibly thankful for your support (words fail to express my gratitude). I am now 85% funded with just around $2500 left to raise over the next two months. And, I am confident that He will provide.
**This does not have to be my trip. 🙂
