Post Script Poem - Giving

This subject has continued to be on my mind since I wrote the previous post, and I felt like writing this poem, which came out quite a bit different to how I thought it might. I'll explain a bit at the end of the post.

                                       

Giving

If giving is better than receiving, 

Then we know giving must be a good thing:

Not only does it do good, 

But it does us good

As we do it;

The more we give, the more we gain, 

And those around us gain as well-

God loves those who give hilariously,

As their giving blesses those who see

And those who receive;

And as we give cheerfully, hilariously,

We are blessed ourselves

(Before, during, after).

So give, because giving is good (for you).

The main thing I guess I need to explain is the reference to hilarity. There is a verse in the Bible often translated 'God loves a cheerful giver'; however, the word translated 'cheerful' is actually closer to the word 'hilarious'. So I was thinking about this, and what it could mean, and the only thing I could come up with is that 'cheerful' giving should be giving that is both enjoyable to watch, and inspires the watchers in some way-as well as being enjoyed by the givers themselves.

Incidentally, I got a message from a friend who lives and works in Kenya who liked the previous post-she said she found it interesting, being in the situation she is in. Which is that her and her husband don't have much (money or otherwise), though they have more than enough. Because they don't need much where they are. But, because they still have more than most people they know, they get asked for help a fair bit. But, no matter what they do, there will still be need-that is clear and obvious. But them being there does help - when I was there in the summer, one of the things I did was go to a children's home and help hand out shoes. Shoes that the money was raised for by people from our church - but those people would never have thought about it, or even known, if she hadn't told people. That was something that would never have happened if she hadn't been there. And that made me think about the effect that each of us have that only  we can have, where we are. What can you do - in your place, your situation? What can you do that no-one else can?