A WORD FOR TODAY, March 3, 2023
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, 2023
“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 saw a suggestion for Lent that was meant to help also with spring cleaning. It recommended filling a bag or a box each day with unwanted items to give away. The bags didn’t have to be big; you could clean a drawer or fill a grocery bag with food items. You could clean a closet or a bookshelf. The idea is that in forty (plus) days, you can purge your house of unnecessary items that might help a neighbor or a charity. The question is, to whom to give all that stuff?
Most of us don’t have too much trouble finding someone to take our things. In our neighborhood, you can put something out on the curb and it will likely be gone in less than a day. There are dozens of charity thrift shops that will take those bags of items to resell, and other charities that support people in distress can use them to help their clients.
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 want to wear a shirt that has grease 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 useless junk to these places that will probably end up in the dumpster behind the charity place anyway? There may actually be a better place those items could be used. It takes more work, but is a better use of our resources.
So, as you fill those bags or boxes during Lent or spring cleaning, think about what you have. That worn out towel or blanket can be bedding at an animal shelter. The pots that can’t be used anymore for cooking might be useful for a preschool’s playground. That stained shirt could 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, we just have to find it.
The question we should ask ourselves as we are filling those bags is whether we would want to settle for those items we are donating if we are struggling with our finances. Would we want someone to do that to us? It is not merciful to give junk out of our resources when people need kindness and mercy. They don’t need the best of the best, but they do need items that will be healthy for their body, mind, and spirit. Our junk can still be useful if we find just the right recipient.
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. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org