Have you ever worked on something for a long, long time … and then found a simple sentence that sums it all up for you? You feel a bit silly. That’s how I feel right now.
For the last several months I’ve (mostly) written about two themes: generosity and action. I’ve talked about how important they are, how they go together, and how they can change the world (and have changed the world).
Then I read, for probably the twelve thousandth time but I wasn’t paying that much attention, the simplest way to say it all in I John 3:17-18.
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (NIV)
Eugene Peterson translated it this way: “If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.” (MSG)
Ouch.
Generosity is an action. A lack of action is a lack of love.
I was reminded of this — in a bad way — on my Junkyard Wisdom Facebook page. I posted a quote about generosity from a well known author. A comment from one of the readers said something nice about the quote, related his own passion for generosity, and thanked me for posting. All fine so far, right?
But then I clicked the guys Facebook profile and … well, wow. His posts were all vicious and directed at people he didn’t agree with. The tone was harsh, negative, and mean spirited. In his anger he was attacking others.
So this is the guy who said how much he values generosity?
He’s not that unusual. I suspect his actions of love are directed toward those he agrees with, but to the other “lazy, traitorous, liars” on the other side of his divide he shows no love at all.
That’s sad. Because that is not generosity. Nor is it love. It’s self-interest. Seems to me he missed the memo about it being “easy to love those who love you, but what good is that?”
Unfortunately, that’s what a lot of people see in the church today. We’ve got to change.
“If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.”
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