As articles go, it was never going to be the most popular piece on the New York Times site that day.
But the tale of a primary school kid’s victory at a chess tournament had something special about it.
Support comes in many forms. Armed with a basket of rainbow-coloured wool and apparently bionic knitting needles, this is the story of a retired granny in West Yorkshire who’s touching the lives of young girls and their babies thousands of miles away in Kenya.
In Giving Without Guilt #1, I suggested 4 practical steps for working out how to choose where to give so that you can say ‘no’ without guilt – knowing you have already said ‘yes’ to your God-given giving priorities.
But doesn’t Jesus tell us to, 'Give to everyone who asks of you'? (Luke 6:30) I have heard of folk who operate on the principle of giving to anyone who asks - for anything.
For most of us, Dolly Parton had it right with her classic song about being a slave to the alarm clock, Nine to Five. As the songstress says: “Working nine to five, what a way to earn a living, barely getting by, it’s all taking and no giving.” By the time most people hit retirement age, they’re more than ready to give up the early mornings, rushed breakfasts and commutes to work in favour of a quieter life, pruning the roses, ambling round garden centres and looking after grandchildren.
As I write this, we are full into the swing of British summertime, that heady mixture of glorious sunshine and torrential downpours. Abundance is everywhere. Flowers are in bloom, birds are in song and lush, vibrant greenery forms the backdrop to our days.
A colleague of mine, who I worked with several years ago, had a son who had Down syndrome. There came a time when his son moved into his own accommodation, and all was well for a while. Then, one day, Dad received a telephone call.
They call them ‘chuggers’: people whose role in life is to connect you to your giving guilt. They are so happy to see you as you wander through the spending centre abstracted from thoughts of giving. And if you choose to sidestep the chugger, you'll trip over a beggar, cross-legged by the cash machine. A few lonely coins in the cup contrasting shamefully with the tenners shooting from the ATM. Then there's Pudsey on the TV and the latest funding request from the DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee) or a worthy cause at church.
Jesus said it is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23). Wealth can be a trap from which it is hard to escape, even as the door stands wide open. But generosity is as much a key to freedom for the cash-strapped as the mega-rich.
Sometimes it takes a child to remind you how to see the world.
Lately, there have been a few of those moments in our family. None more so than the night before the funeral when our youngest daughter spoke about how ‘there’s a sadness inside me about Grandpa, but the happiness about him being in heaven is even brighter.’
If you’re looking to support Christian charities who are focused on looking after our planet, we’ve compiled a list of organisations for you to look into.
blogs by the Stewardship team and selected guest writers.
Stewardship is the operating name of Stewardship Services (UKET) Limited. Established in 1906.
Registered charity no. 234714, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 90305.
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