DEAR WATCHER OF TIMES: TO GIVE OR NOT TO GIVE?
The toddler stood next to his mother, cute as a button, engrossed in his own self-centered world of carefreeness as he enjoyed the biscuits his Mum had given him. As with most adults, who don’t have much to say to toddlers once the ooohs and aaahs are done, I asked the little boy to share his goodies. As is nearly always the case, the response was swift in gesture and body language, the hand clutching the pack disappeared behind his back, the other hand shot towards his mouth with a biscuit in tow and his head shook from side to side in the universal
WATCHERS gesture of NO! How cute we all thought, laughing
OF TIMES good heartedly and moving on without a second thought. BY TONYE COLE The entire drama reminded me of an episode of great controversy I stumbled across recently where a young man stoked some very angry fires by querying the Christian concept of tithing on social media. Unsure if his question started off much like mine to the toddler, innocently and expecting a near routine response, it nevertheless created a storm akin to what might have ensued had I forcefully snatched the biscuit from lads withholding hands. Tithing and the concept of giving, it seems needed a big wake up call for the lad in this case was not a toddler but a full grown adult in need of an answer.
The God of All Creation is Father to All and has absolutely no choice but to give freely to all mankind the things they need to survive. He does so lovingly and without regret, the air we breath, water we drink, food we eat and so much more. When it comes to giving ‘back’ to Him however, it requires an understanding and appreciation of who He is and how much we love Him for Him. It should never be forced and without knowledge. Many of us, like the toddler, don’t realize the biscuit was never ours in the first place, was a gift from one who loves us and could chose to replenish or deny us at will, but her love would always put his best interest at the center of all she does. Our reaction would have been completely different had he been much older, fully capable to rational thought and acting out as the toddler did, for then the expectation would be much as the good book says “God loves a cheerful giver.” There in itself lies the heart behind all giving. Are you a reluctant giver? May God grant is the insight to know that love gives freely.
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