“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give” – Sir Winston Churchill
I’ll give more generously when I’m more financially secure. We’re barely making ends meet, after all.
House payments, heating bills, electricity bills, groceries, auto-lease payments, cell phone bills… all those things add up. Right?
Right.
There are plenty who have none of the above bills to worry about. Instead, they worry about keeping warm enough to live through the night and finding enough food to live through the week.
Too many kids live in poverty. Too many kids are sick. Too many kids are abused. Too many kids are not loved the way they deserve to be loved.
Too many people are legitimately struggling to make ends meet for me to complain as I type away on my computer. In my house. With a full stomach. (Fuller than it should be, truth be told.)
I am blessed. Therefore it is my duty to bless others. I need to give more. I want to give more. So what’s stopping me?
Fear. Mostly fear.
These are tough economic times. I’m a full-time dad during the day, moonlighting as a freelance actor/writer/director and video producer at night and on the weekends. I can’t count on regular paychecks. If my wife were to lose her steady-paying job, we’d be in trouble.
If.
If I don’t get over the fear of what could happen and start sharing more of my time and money with others already faced with something bad that has happened, none of my money in the bank will matter. Someday I do hope to be wealthy. Who doesn’t? Honestly? I imagine it will be easier to give when I get there, but why wait?
There’s a Bible story of a poor widow dropping two relatively insignificant coins into the temple treasury while the wealthy around her gave much larger sums. Jesus applauded the woman for essentially giving all she had while the others gave only a small portion of their wealth.
Relativity what it is, true charity demands sacrifice. My philanthropic dreams are grand, but they depend on achieving significant wealth for myself and my family. They shouldn’t. Now is the time to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of my brothers and sisters who are truly struggling.
Are you with me?
If you don’t know where to start, visit Charity Navigator and research until you find a charity you feel moved to support. Give generously; give wisely; give sacrificially.
