Learning to Give to Others

The celebration and cheer from the new year have settled. The new year is a time to focus on myself and my own journey with God but it has almost made me forget the role that others are playing in my life. A year ago I remember reflecting on how close I had gotten with my brothers and sisters in tent city. I was able to buy a few pizzas and eat together with them a few times. I love being able to do good for my friends, God’s children even if it’s just a small gesture like that. The moments that I share with these people are so worth it.

Giving to others is important and it doesn’t always have to be something materialistic like a watch, money,–or a pizza! For a long time, I thought that these kinds of things were what I needed in my life to make me happy. Then, God showed me the real way I could find happiness and I stopped caring about what others thought.

I gave people things like an ear, so that they could be heard and a shoulder if they needed to cry. I began to give people my time and voice so that they could know God’s message. These are what God wants us to give to each other more than anything in the world because He created our ears, eyes, and souls. He wants us to share with each other the best parts of ourselves.

So, what I’m saying is that–yes, we should give to charities if it helps others. People do need some materials to live but when a friend is in need of something deeper than what money can buy, they probably need quality time with you so they can talk. That’s the beauty of generosity, it doesn’t have just one specific definition.

I loved sitting with my brothers and sisters while we ate those pizzas and I still sit with them even today. But I am not satisfying myself by buying anything for anyone; I’m spending time with the people that I care about and that’s what is most important to us.