5 January
1 John 3:11-21 | Psalm 99(100) | John 1:43-51
[I just noticed that this is turning into Resolution Week for me, what with I Resolve To…, I Will Prepare To… and I Will Lead Others to God… already published. Today’s entry just affirms that trend.]
This is the message
as you heard it from the beginning:
that we are to love one another;
not to be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One
and cut his brother’s throat;
cut his brother’s throat simply for this reason,
that his own life was evil and his brother lived a good life. (1 John 3:11-12)
I just watched this interesting and amusing TED talk: Are you a giver or a taker? It explores the various personalities present in any organization (givers, takers and matchers) and how to promote a more giving culture within.
This talk really hit home for me. It reminded me that my habit of giving my all to God without getting the necessary support from my fellow ministers pretty much dooms me to burnout in short order, which has happened several times already.
It also gave me pause on how I mentally judge people, and that a few folks whom I’ve always thought of as “takers” or general a*holes might actually be “disagreeable givers” instead. Unpleasant though they may be, they have generally been supportive of the mission at hand, and while I might wish they would give a little more of themselves, they seem to already be heading in that direction, if a bit slowly.
For all I know, some folks may have always thought of me as a “disagreeable giver”. After all, my “people skills” don’t just have room for improvement, they have an entire mansion!
I think the difficult part for me is to continue giving out of love, but being careful about securing early support for whatever activities I’m engaged in, without going overboard into quid pro pro territory. Still, if my judgement proves faulty, I’d rather err on the generous side, for as St. John the Evangelist reminds us today:
our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active (1 John 3:18)
Lord, we thank You for Your supreme gift of Love that set us all free. Help us offer that Love in turn to others around us, helping others without expecting reciprocation, but also graciously accepting others’ help in turn. May our efforts to better each others’ lives lift us all in Your sight, so that we may all come into Your presence in good conscience. Amen.