A WORD FOR TODAY, March 3, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion. If you received it from a friend, you can see other devotions and studies by visiting our website at www.awordfortoday.org.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, March 3, 2026
“As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. ‘Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.’” Luke 6:31-38, WEB
I have been preparing for a trip. The hardest part has been choosing shoes! We are going on a cruise and will need a variety of clothing for different activities. We are planning an excursion, so I’ll need comfortable shoes for walking. There is a night to dress up in glamorous clothing, so I need shoes to go with my gown. I need shoes to wear around the pool. I want to dress nicely for dinners, but different shoes for the fun activities. I look at my pile of shoes and know that my husband is questioning my decisions. “Does she really need so many shoes?” Yes. Yes I do.
In the process, I have discovered that I am missing a vital type of shoe. I had a pair that was so old that it hurt. I threw them away thinking that I had a replacement in my closet, but it turned out that pair was the wrong color. Unfortunately, I have found it impossible to replace them. These are everyday shoes that match most of the outfits I planned to take on the cruise. I think I found something online; hopefully they will fit properly. I regret throwing those shoes away, but they were not good for my feet, so it was probably better I did. Still, I wonder if I made the judgment to throw them away too quickly. I almost wish I had thrown those into my giveaway box, then I could have pulled them out to continue to use until I found a suitable replacement. I didn’t because I knew that the giveaway box is not meant to be filled with unusable junk, and those shoes were unusable.
Some people have suggested a Lent devotional practice of filling a box or bad a day with unwanted items to give away. Cleaning a drawer or bookshelf or pantry can lighten a life and bless someone else. The purpose of this practice is to purge your house from unnecessary items that might help a neighbor or a charity.
We need to be careful, however, what we give away. I have read articles about donations given to thrift shops. Most people just throw things in a box or bag without considering if it would really be helpful. We might think that they’ll take anything, but they get frustrated with certain items. Do you really think someone will buy a pile of National Geographic magazines when they are struggling to clothe their children? Should someone really buy that worn out Teflon pan that you won’t use anymore because it is unhealthy? Would you like to wear a shirt that has greasy stains all over the front? We put these things into bags because we think that it is better than throwing it away. After all, we are trying to cut down on what we send to the landfills, but should we give our worn-out shoes to these places that will probably throw them into the dumpster behind the store anyway?
As you fill those bags or boxes during Lent or spring cleaning, think about what you have, sometimes there are better places to give our items. I’m not sure if there would be a better place for those shoes, but that worn out towel or blanket can be bedding at an animal shelter. The pots that can’t be used for cooking might be useful for a preschool playground. That stained shirt can be used as rags at the local technical school. It might take some creative thinking, but we can be good stewards of the earth while also being considerate to those who need our help. They say one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, but sometimes junk is just junk. It could have another purpose, but we just have to find it.
Are we filling those boxes and bags with items we could really use if we were in financial straits? Would we want someone to assume that it is good enough for us? It is not merciful to give junk out of our resources when people need kindness and mercy. Our junk can still be useful if we find just the right recipient. None of us need the best of the best, but we all need items that will be healthy for our body, mind, and spirit. We are called to live a life of discernment, making good choices that will benefit the world, other people, and the environment. Our bad decisions could come back on us in ways we do not expect, so we are cautioned to be considerate as we make choices every day.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276.