Giving of ourselves reaps rewards
Posted by GSDispatch Editor in GSD Online
“Let… individuals make the most of what God has given them, have their neighbors do the same, and then do all they can to serve each other. There is no use in one man, or one nation, to try to do or be everything. It is a good thing to be dependent on each other for something; it makes us civil and peaceable.”
Sojourner Truth (c. 1797-1883)
The big news for the past several months has been how bad our economy is, how many people are losing their jobs, losing their homes and just struggling to have a decent lifestyle. Charitable organizations like our own, Greenwood Families Helping Families are seeing an increase in requests for assistance. However, most non-profit organizations are seeing decreases in donations. Businesses that have been able to give large donations in the past have to scale back in order to stay profitable and families and individuals are finding that they have less to give than before too. But the news isn’t all-bad because there is one thing that we still have plenty to give of – ourselves.
Tom Brokaw once said, “It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” When we give of our time, talents and even our resources we can make a difference. We may never see what our efforts have accomplished, may never meet the person whose life we affected or know the true impact of our work but we can know that we have made a difference. Our gifts of money, goods or time do not have to be large. Something as simple as donating a bag of baby clothes we no longer need to an organization like Rachel House can make a huge difference for someone else. Giving a few hours of your time to help complete a project at your local church can be a blessing to you, your pastor and your church family.
Volunteering can be a rewarding way to spend an evening, a day, or a week – whatever works with your schedule. A couple of weeks ago I spent a few hours volunteering at the Lee’s Summit Just Between Friends Consignment Sale, I enjoy helping out at my church whenever possible and occasionally I am able to use my professional skills to benefit other charitable organizations. These things that I do – giving of my time and talents – not only benefit others but they benefit me too. There is something about giving of yourself in exchange for the simple pleasure of giving that is priceless. The pleasure and satisfaction you can find in simply doing “good” and reaching out with a helping hand to someone in need cannot be measured, it can only be enjoyed.
