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“Throw Me Somethin’, Mister!” That’s the cry heard all over New Orleans today, by kids and adults alike, hoping coconuts, rubber chickens and plenty of beads rain down upon them. Sometimes it feels like those float riders are holding back. Other times, they are unhinged – freely dumping the goods.
The thing about most of those throws, though, is that no matter how badly you thought you wanted it in the moment, once you get home or even back to your car, you realize that you’re saddled with a useless rubber chicken or weighed down by a million beads. (Unless, of course, you can save them for next year and, in turn, generously recycle that haul!)
(This is probably a weird way to talk about generosity, but hey, it’s New Orleans. And it’s Fat Tuesday.)
What if we could be generous in ways that mattered? Not just excess stuff, but freely giving to others by dedicating time to them, purposely being kind, using our talents to help those around us or donating financially? When you take the time to sit with someone who needs it or encouraging someone who’s going through a tough time, that’s giving. That’s being generous. And there’s something pretty awesome about being on the giving AND receiving end of kindness. It’s like a feel-good infinity loop!
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 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. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
So, as the excess broken beads on the streets are washed away and we prepare our hearts for Lent, maybe we can do so with a realization that it’s not just “stuff” we can be generous with. We can ask God to give us a benevolent heart, one that encourages us to cheerfully and freely give to others, motivated by His great love for us. That is so much MORE (in 2024) than plastic throws!
P.S. – Thank YOU for so generously giving to support the ministry of LifeSongs. We’re incredibly grateful to serve our community by sharing God’s love together!