Many years ago, our
Bible college
honoured a couple who had been good givers to the school. To look
at them, you
would not know that they were good givers, or that they even had
the means to be
such. They did not drive
new cars. They did not own
a big house. They
certainly never talked about how much
money they made. Apparently,
though,
they were very generous.
As the ceremony was
winding down,
someone said, “The best part about this couple is that they gave
without
remembering”. I have never
forgotten
that phrase, because it struck me as being such a rare thing.
I
know
some generous people, but I also know that some of those generous
people find
it hard not to talk about all the good they have done. I know some people who have
helped me, but I
also know that they like to remind me about it once in while. Personally, I know it is
harder to do the
right thing when no one else sees or acknowledges it.
One
of
the most quoted verses about giving says, “Each of you should give
what you
have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for
God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). When this verse is taught,
the emphasis is
often placed on the “cheerful” part.
However, I wonder if we are missing something important in
the phrase
that says, “give what you have decided in your heart to give”. I have always heard that
defined in a monetary
way as in “Give the amount you have chosen”.
However, what if the “deciding in your heart” has less to
do with the
amount and more to do with the way?
In
other words, I have decided, in my heart, to give cheerfully. I will give and let it go. That is likely closer to the
goal.
The Bible says,
"Love keeps
no records of wrongs" (I Corinthians 13:5). Maybe, then, it is true too
that love keeps
no records at all. What
if I loved you
so much that I kept no record of what I have done to help you. No record of how much I have
given away. No record of
whose turn it is to be generous
now.
Think what would
happen if we all
gave without remembering.
That would be
something to
remember!
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