Lesson 13 - A Helping Hand / The How-To’s of Beauty "Once you begin moving along the gracious path of giving, you’ll have no trouble finding golden opportunities to extend God’s mercy to the poor and needy. Would some first steps toward becoming a bountiful giver help? Try these for starters. 1. Begin at home—Each sunrise presents fresh opportunities for you to show mercy to others, and those opportunities won’t go unnoticed. Your children will benefit greatly as they view firsthand the life of a giving mother—a woman who is beautiful in God’s eyes. 2. Give regularly to your home church—Most churches minister to the homeless and needy. So through your financial support of your church (1 Corinthians 16:2), you can indirectly lend a helping hand and extend your hand to the poor (Proverbs 31:20). My church stocks a “deacons’ closet” for the homeless. Plus a portion of all giving to our church is used to support our missionaries. Your giving to your local church extends in many directions and even around the world. 3. Keep your ear to the ground—Take time to notice people around you who are in need. Then purchase double groceries and share them with a struggling couple. Or clean out your wallet when an offering is taken for a special cause. You can also pass your children’s clothes on to a young family who’s fallen on hard times. When you go to garage sales, pick up needed items that could help others (an aluminum walker for a shut-in, a baby crib for an unwed mother). You can prepare a special meal for a woman undergoing chemotherapy. To reap the many blessings that come with such a ministry of giving, you must keep your ear to the ground. Then these golden opportunities won’t pass you by! 4. Support a worthy organization or person—Right now I’m studying the women who followed Jesus and supported Him financially (Luke 8:2–3). They set a noble example for you and me because—just as they did—you and I can encourage many individuals and organizations with our financial gifts. You can contribute directly to a mission organization or support a missionary family you know. You can assist in the training of seminary students by giving to scholarship funds or helping with the purchase of textbooks. You can support young people who are going on a summer missions trip. Why not ask God how you can extend your hands and be involved in His work? 5. Pray about a personal project—As you’re asking God about where He wants you to be involved in His work in the world, ask Him to direct you to your own personal ministry project which you can support financially. You might be surprised how God answers those prayers. 6. Err on the side of generosity—Evangelist Billy Graham smiled proudly as he said this of his wife Ruth: “She manages the fiscal affairs of the household—with . . . more generosity than precision!” How lovely to have a generous heart! You see, like flowing water, money is less useful when it becomes stagnant. You don’t want to be like the Dead Sea in Israel, vast and fed with fresh water but useless and dead because the water has no outlet! Just a caution: If you’re married, be sure you work with your husband to set a policy. Find out his views on giving and know where he wants to help out financially. Agree with him and honor his choices. Then set your mind, body, hands, and heart to work on those endeavors. 7. Live out love—When asked what love looks like, the early church father Augustine replied, “Love has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrow of men. This is what love looks like.” What a blessing you are to others as you live out this kind of love. It truly is beautiful in God’s eyes!"
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 23:42:47 +0000
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