Generosity Archives - Junkyard Wisdom

I’m tired of theology.

To be more specific, I’m tired of seeing theology wielded as a weapon against supposed “enemies,” the way an attorney might use court precedents against an opponent. When theology is nothing more than a logical position to be argued, then real people get hurt. When theology is used solely to judge and exclude others, then love—the primary action Christians should be known for—becomes an afterthought.

I’m fortunate to know a few world-class theologians, and to have been a student of a few more. They have offered me insights into the meaning of Scripture, yes, but more …

Gratitude

A few months ago, when I was writing devotions for Lent, I came across a Thanksgiving story that I turned into a Christmas story … and now I’m turning back into a Thanksgiving story. Well, sorta. You be the judge.

The story is in Luke 17:11-19 and (oddly) it reminds me of being a parent at Christmas.

Jesus enters a village. Ten lepers call out for healing, and Jesus tells them to head toward church and they’ll be healed along the way.

The ten lepers do this, and all ten are healed, but only one of them returns to thank …

Five Ways to be Countercultural

Last week I attended a conference with a plenary session featuring two Senators (one Democrat and one Republican). The facilitator, a former Governor, led them in a conversation about how our faith can inform our public engagement.

A lot of the conversation focused on how we can transcend the worst aspects of partisan politics. The idea of vilifying and demonizing those who disagree with us was rejected, and the politicians shared examples of how to disagree with respect. It was a good reminder for all of us, and the Senators navigated the conversation beautifully. They received a standing ovation.

An …

When Helping . . . Helps

I’ve held back on sharing this story because I didn’t want to embarrass anyone. But several years have passed and it seems okay to share now.

It began with a presentation I gave about the work PathLight is doing in Belize. An acquaintance listened and then quickly dismissed the work as cultural intrusion. Without using these exact words, the gist of her comments were, “You have no business imposing your cultural values on the people of Belize.” She continued with warnings about doing damage through our work because we do not understand all the cultural norms and thus were sure …

Books books books!

You’ve heard that I’m the new Interim CEO of PathLight International. One thing I’ve been pondering is how to integrate my writing with my role at PathLight, and I’ve come up with a plan. It’s a way to help PathLight, promote my writing, and give you something unique.

If you order a copy of my book Junkyard Wisdom Rebuilt directly from me, I’ll give 100% of the proceeds (up to five hundred books) to PathLight. I know, amazing right? You’re thinking, “Gosh he’s generous (and wow he has a lot of books in storage).”

Here’s how it’ll work:…

Generosity Toolbox

One of my goals for Junkyard Wisdom Rebuilt was to offer tangible ways to be generous. As one critic said about my first book, “It explains the why, but not the how.”

That was by design of course — explaining the “how” of generosity can quickly slip into becoming prescriptive. Suddenly it’s a “how to” book in a world awash with them. Even so, the critic had a point, and I wanted to address it with the new book.

But it wasn’t as easy as expected. Each one of us is in a different situation, and suggesting “how” to be …

Changing Gears

Are you ready for another Junkyard Wisdom™ devotion series? Say yes. I’m the sensitive type and couldn’t handle your rejection.

The next series is called Changing Gears: A Generosity Road Trip. It starts on May 31 and will run about two weeks.

On this road trip we visit some famous cities, islands, and regions around the Mediterranean. In each stop we will reflect on the insights of a resident or visitor, like Bathsheba in Jerusalem and Peter in Rome. Each person we meet will have something interesting to share about generosity.

And as with all my road trips, there will …

Alexandria

Lent starts on Wednesday. It’s never been a big deal to me. To be honest I was smug about it; all these people giving up chocolate seemed, well, shallow.

But a few years ago I read about the history of Lent and was impressed by the depth of the tradition. Lent could be summed up as a time to focus on three things:

Prayer to focus on our need for God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Fasting, or giving something up, to prompt reflection on God.
Giving as a way to respond to God’s love.

The last one is what …