Learning To Share

 The more you give,

the more you get-

The more you laugh, 

the less you fret-

The more of everything

you share,

The more you'll always

have to spare-

The more you love,

the more you'll find 

That life is good

and friends are kind.

For only what

we give away, 

Enriches us

from day to day.

        ~by Helen Steiner Rice

^"6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."  2 Corinthians 9:6-8

I received Helen Steiner Rice's little devotional book as a high school graduation gift. I think that I might have a fairly good idea of who gave it to me, but I suppose that I might be remembering it all wrong, so I won't try to say who it was here. Still, whoever the gift-er was, they were brilliant - insightful - thoughtful - genius. To have thought to give such a book to a young girl was absolutely inspired because even though several years have passed, I just love and am still affected by it. 

The trouble with me is that by now (like I said, SEVERAL years have passed since graduation) you would think that I should have a handle on, and be well-practiced at, the little lessons arranged in the book.  

Selfless giving and how it works should be familiar to me to the point of boredom, right? But, oh no, not me. The joy of giving and sharing sneaks up on me every time. That I should be surprised or amazed at this little poem's profundity is really quite shameful, but truly, this afternoon, after I read the passage, slapped my forehead, blinked hard, read it again, and uttered an amazed, "Ohhh!" As in, EUREKA! Discovery!

It happened like that today - I mean, the whole giving thing. I gave a little -I mean a tiny, teeny, itty-bitty, little, smaller than small bit,  folks-  not even enough to consider, and the immediate blessing was absolutely joyous. The whole experience was thrilling really.

I do not know what to say except that God is good. He is faithful even when I am not. 

I am so glad that He loves the cheerful giver... and also the dunce who may never graduate from Giving 101.