Caught out!

I knew this would happen! I love the approach that #40acts takes with the approach to generosity and being a more generous person. Using Lent as a time to give out not give up is great.

But those sneaky people at Stewardship who organise and prepare #40acts occasionally put something in that throws me a bit off balance - and today is that day.

The idea is not a problem - spend time with someone of a different generation. Share wisdom together. That's all fine until the dreaded word "Mentor" is used...

I have on my office wall a quote for entrepreneur Jo Malone 'don't have a mentor, be your own person, have your own ideas, make your own decision' (or something very similar to that. It's there because, frankly, it's what I think...

Having said that there are those who have asked me to mentor them - and we have met and shared coffee and conversation, there are also those who I have spent time with and really benefitted from their knowledge, wisdom and experience. But Mentoring - not for me - it's all too formal and not organic but it works for some no doubt.

So today I have to adapt the task into my own experience and to do that will not be a problem - it also means that I can follow up on yesterday's task of listening to the Holy Spirit - and making contact with someone from a different generation.

Generosity

As some of you will know I will be following #40acts once again this year through Lent. Last year I found this to be a very enriching experience and helped me to keep looking out wards in my life, to be giving out through Lent as well as, possibly, giving up. The whole idea of being generous appeals to me because I have sen the difference that generosity makes. When people around you are generous it isn't difficult to be generous as a reflection of those actions.

Today I will scope out my generosity plan and probably share it tomorrow but before I do that I just want to stop and consider a few things...

Last Thursday morning my Father in Law died. Quite suddenly as we had been speaking to him the day previously about him leaving hospital. He was looking forward to getting back to his little bungalow and getting on with life. I guess when he woke up in heaven he was as surprised as we were. 

We were devastated. In the last six days many tears have fallen, there has been some laughter, undoubtedly lots of memories. Throughout it all my family have been the recipients of great generosity. You can imagine the many cards we have received, phone calls, texts, emails from all parts of the world. Everyone a blessing. Flowers arriving bring beauty to a place of sadness.

And then there are those who will say nothing, a squeeze of the hand or shoulder, the look that says 'I know'. 

People's generosity in other practical, tangible ways have made the last few days easier as has generosity in the last few months made the passage easier - Derek was able to spend a blessed holiday with his adoring daughter, my wife, Catherine, because of incredible generosity. Catherine could share a meal and laughter with precious friends while she was visiting him in hospital on a daily basis.

We have experienced in earthly terms great generosity - and because of God's great generous heart we got to spend time with this giant of faith for much of our lives.

So, having received at first hand, it's time to focus on giving out as well as giving up. 

I'm off to make a plan!

The Gift of Giving

My friends at Stewardship who run the #adventwonder programme threw me a bit of a curve ball this morning.

Their message today is about angels and how they were used to give the message of the birth of John the Baptist and then Jesus, how they spoke to the shepherds, how they could not help but reflect the glory of God such was the wonder of this message. Then they sucker punch me by turning this on it's head and challenging me about giving. Nice move - didn't see that coming! And it did challenge me significantly.

You see in my ministry knew of the things I have to do is challenge people about their giving - never comfortable but very necessary. The challenge is one that I take to myself, but when you hear it coming from elsewhere it has added power.

I'm not thinking here of my gift giving at this time of year - I try to be generous and thoughtful (especially to my wife who has a birthday four days after Christmas: always difficult to make it special). No, this giving is about my regular contribution to my church and other important worthy causes, generally charities.

I try to work towards giving a tithe (10%) but often miss the mark.

I try to support charities that are underfunded but often misjudge.

I try to support young people who go on mission trips but often they've been and gone before I know it.

I try to give cheerfully but, honestly, sometimes I do so begrudgingly.

And that last one is the key - the attitude of giving is as important as the amount. In real terms there are some occasions that to give more financially would put my family at risk (The Lord may love a cheerful giver but He also expects we will pay our heating and lighting bills and feed our children). But a generous attitude in giving what I can is about the motivation, and this is the spirit of the angels: sent to give a message to smelly shepherds in a draughty field, they could not help but praise God in the highest!

I am focusing on my attitude of giving as well as the amount of my giving - and that includes time and talents as well as financially. 

Thanks for the reminder!