In our process of clearing space for baby, we have been giving away a lot of stuff. On Sunday after church service, we set up a little table with two boxes of goodies to give away. Let me first explain this: one of the beautiful things about the people in our congregation is the range of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds represented there. So very quickly, various people we did not know came by and snapped up a whole bunch of our stuff. Watching them find new treasures was a joy. But it was also tinged with a bit of sadness. You see, some of the items I had bought years ago - I knew both the price I paid for them as well as the sentimental value they carried. So while it was a joy to see peoples' eyes light up as they found something they needed, I found myself longing to stop them and invite them to sit down so I could tell them the story behind what they were holding. I longed to ask them their name and hear what their story was. I wished they would appreciate these things as much as I did. That they would treasure these things as much as I did.
Reflecting on this experience on the way home, I wondered if this is maybe something of what God feels when we revel in His grace and gifts without stopping to thank Him or taking time to hear His heart. I wondered, too, if this new way of identifying with God was one of the reasons we are encouraged to practice generosity.
His grace afterall is free. But it is also terribly costly.
