Reaching More
Which comes first, the money or the ministry?
The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
I am sure I am not alone in this, but I feel I am on every donor request list that exists out there.
Everyone asks for money to do more. Look at all the good we are doing. With a few more dollars a month, we could do that much more.
These campaigns work because they reach out to so many. It only takes a few giving a lot or many giving a little to help reach the goal of the find drive.
But is there abundant joy in writing a check?
For me, the joy of giving comes in seeing the reaction of the ones receiving, and I get to see that every day. My job is to find ways to have enough for all who come for a meal or for groceries to feed their families.
I don't want to turn anyone away.
The more we cook, the more we feed. The more we feed, the more help we need from volunteers who come and share in the joy of giving with us.
The busier we get, the more I know I can say yes to opportunities to accept donations of food that would otherwise go to waste.
But something else is happening here.
The seeds we are sowing are seeds of hope for people who can and do work, but don't make enough to feed their families.
If they know we will help them do that, they can focus on providing everything else the families need.
The ministry, the mission, comes first.
We don't know where the money and the help will come from, but we shouldn't let that stop us from reaching out to as many as possible.
So far, it is working, and we are reaching more each year.
We are sowing seeds of hope and reaping a large harvest of joy.
Come. Share the joy.
More to come...