The gift of time
This past Saturday a group from my church hosted a fundraising event for a therapeutic riding program in our county. This non-profit provides free therapy sessions for children with disabilities.
Miracles have occurred through this program–children who could not walk are now mobile; children who could not speak are now verbal; and parents are amazed at the progress made by their children.
Because of the loving gift of time (both from therapists, volunteers, and horses), this riding program (and many others like it) are spreading the love of Christ through their service to children and adults with disabilities.
The organizers and volunteers in these programs are providing a precious gift–the gift of their time.
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:2
Sometimes we suffer from a poverty of time. We are often so busy with other commitments that family, career, and numerous other obligations rob us of “free” time. Is there such a thing as FREE time anymore?
But, because our time is so limited, that makes the gift of time even more precious.
Last week we worked hard to prepare for the event–purchasing food and supplies to feed over 250 people, preparing our church to host the event, cooking and serving, and cleaning up after the large crowd on Saturday night.
WHEW! What a week!
But, lest you think that everything was perfect…
- My husband and I growled at each other as we set up tables and chairs to serve the crowd.
- I admit to being upset and disappointed when several people we had counted on to help failed to participate, overloading those of us that worked long hours during the last two days of cooking and serving.
- We grumbled that we had to overlook other important responsibilities to complete all the work necessary for the fundraiser.
- And, typically, only the faithful few lasted long enough to clean up after the event.
And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 2 Corinthians 8:5
But, those of us who worked were blessed beyond measure. We gave of ourselves to help a wonderful organization that serves those that hold a special place in the heart of Jesus.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Matthew 19:14-15
We are the hands of Jesus on earth. By allowing Him to work through us, we share the love of Jesus with others.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might became rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
Like me, do you suffer from a “poverty of time?” Do you struggle to find time to serve others? Can you share with us how you “make” time to share the gift of love?
We are infinitely blessed by the gift of love Christ has given to us. Although we are not called to sacrifice our life for others, the gift of our time is a sacrifice. When we give of our time, we are sharing a precious gift, indeed.
Time is the hardest thing for me to give to others (I’m so much more cheerfully generous with my money and stuff). And God is always challenging me to relinquish my tendency to be selfish with it by sending unexpected interruptions into my days. I’m still learning to be cheerfully generous about that!
Oh, my…when you mention the “s” word (selfish), I have to say, “Me too!” God is nudging me (sometimes He thumps me in the head to get my attention) to remind me to be cheerful about serving. Thank you for the gentle reminder, my friend.
For sure! Giving of time in service is a sacrifice. I find it so much easier to fill my calendar with things that benefit me (paying gigs, enjoyable social events), rather than serving and blessing others. Thank you for the gentle nudge.
I needed the nudge, too! Sometimes I have to teach myself a lesson and it’s an extra blessing for me if someone else benefits. And, you are right, it’s easier to for us to choose the “fun” stuff and what we view as necessities (after all, those paying gigs help put food on the table!) Blessings!
Katherine, what a wonderful event! Thank you for sharing honestly the “behind the scenes” moments we’ve all experienced in various ministries. Time is precious and it’s difficult to balance daily responsibilities and reaching out to others. I try to dovetail activities when I can, such as doubling a recipe to share or combining a visit with errands. Like many, I struggle with this, too.
Jeannie, I love the idea you shared–doubling recipes to share. That’s a wonderful way to show our love for those in need. For a young mother or a lonely shut-in, sharing a homemade goodie is the perfect gift. And, since we need to visit to bring the goodie, we’ve shared of ourselves, too. Wishing you blessings, my friend!
Yes – in a world that says we need to go, go, go, I truly struggle with over committing. I want to do everything, but God bids us to come and rest. To cease striving. Once I took a flight back from Asia and the day was over 30 hours long. Never since have I asked God for more than 24 hours in a day. It is too exhausting. God designed us to need rest. I pray I have the courage to ask God how He wants me to spend my time instead of cramming in everything I want to do. That only results in my demise. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, I struggle with the over-commitment syndrome, too. Perhaps it’s because when we’re called to serve, we feel we must give everything. But, you are so right when you say that God designed us to rest. We have an amazing human body that He created, “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Yet, sometimes we abuse this awesome creation by pushing too hard, not getting enough rest, and not fueling our body with the proper nutrients. Prayers lifted for you (and me) as we try to take better care of ourselves, while still serving as God leads us.
I sometimes say the only thing more precious to us than our wallets is our watches.
I’ll be writing about “generosity of time” in a couple of months, so I’m making myself a note to link back to this post when the time comes. Thank you for getting me started thinking about it.
And praise God for all the healing that’s happened because of this program!)
Thanks so much for your encouragement, Carole! I’ll be looking forward to reading your “generosity of time” post. It’s something I struggle with and I know your message will help!