Ever given someone the last cookie?

Sometimes it comes with a twinge of regret.

Man… I really like those cookies and could have really enjoyed having one more…

Then you notice the face of the receiver. The look in their eyes when they notice that you are giving them the last cookie.

The “Wow! Really? I can have the last cookie? You mean that you aren’t going to eat it just because you are bigger than me, paid for all of the ingredients and burned your hand on the cookie sheet just to make them?”

They take the first bite of the last cookie, close their eyes and enjoy every last morsel.

But then, if you pay close enough attention, something happens to you too.

It isn’t happening on your taste buds or in your tummy.

It’s happening in your soul.

Satisfaction.

Thankfulness.

JOY.

There really is Joy in giving. Whether it is cookies, time, expertise, money or hugs. Joy is a real possibility of giving.

May we not hold too tightly to the last cookies, to our things or to our ‘first fruits.’

May we give. And find that deep seeded JOY that oftentimes hold hands with GIVING.

KE

Giving is known as a noble virtue.

Or is it part of our innate nature?

Why do people give away so much of themselves? And other people give away so little?

What is our motivation as humans to give?

It seems that there may be something in us that spurs us on to be givers.

Our kids can be very self centered. And also surprisingly giving.

“Here – you can have the last cookie”

WHAT?

No five year old in their right minds does THAT.

Yet, he does, every now and then…

I’ve just finished reading Giving and Getting in the Kingdom by R. Mark Dillon for the D.Min project.

Here are some thoughts from Dillon that have me thinking about giving:

If our Creator’s very nature is to give, demonstrated and given to the world through Christ, we have both an “explanation and an imperative for giving in the kingdom.”

As a result, within the kingdom, giving away time and resources is a grateful response to God’s indescribable gift in Christ.

1 Peter 4:10 reiterates this virtue, noting that “each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

For anyone, giving back is a human impulse or a noble gesture.

In the kingdom, there is a divine obligation for those who have been recipients of God’s grace in Christ “to give away time, talent and treasure: to the poor, to widows and orphans, to Christ’s Church, and to every conceivable person or program that advances His eternal kingdom.”

Dillon notes that “giving is a privilege granted to citizens of the kingdom when we notice the lavish gift that Christ has given us, we respond with with thankfulness and generosity.”

God in us allows us to be givers.

God in us spurs us on to give. Even when it seems insane. Like giving our little brother the last cookie.

God’s nature explains our growing and innate desire to give.

Oh – and the outcome is JOY! 

Let’s explore that in another blog…

KE

That’s the message that flashed across my phone about 50 times after installing the “updated iOS” last night.

Frustrated is an understatement. Let’s just say that is was a good thing the kids were in bed and didn’t hear the words that came out of my mouth. A lot of those types of words…

These “Unknown Error” messages do not offer any help to rectify the situation.

At all. As a matter of fact – it makes me think: “I’ll just stick with the old system next time.”

Unknown errors trip us up, waste our time and can be incredible frustrating to us (and others). Thankfully my wife was very patient and relayed numerous “verification codes” that were sent to her phone…

Most of our “unknown errors” don’t flash across the screens of our lives. We don’t even noticed them.

But OTHERS do.

We all have blindspots that trip us up. Unknown errors that keep us from moving forward.

We tend to stick with the old systems, the old ways of thinking, the old structures. Sometimes without even being aware of the possibilities that lie ahead.

What if we made other choices?  To think through those structures, those old ways and allowed others to give sight to our blindspots? To our own unknown errors?

It seems like the best way FORWARD.

To give people a VOICE in our lives. To listen and value the insight they have into our lives, our families, our mission or business, and our souls.

May the frequency of unknown errors diminish in each of our lives from this point forward!

KE