Love Like Jesus: Generosity

Let someone borrow a car for a week. Provide meals for people in need. Save those stranded with an empty gas tank. Share positivity and kindness with all, even cashiers interacted with for less than a minute. Help someone move, and then move again. A combined total of over 10 summers serving at a summer camp. Welcome all to join family dinners. Drive around the world and back for someone, even drive three hours in order to support someone eating 4 Chipotle burritos in 20 minutes (true story). 

These are just a few of the things I have witnessed my in-laws do. They epitomize generosity. 

Lovebug photography

More than being willing to go out of their way to serve others, what really makes my in-laws generosity remarkable is the fact that they are never inconvenienced by someone in need. Whether it's squeezing in helping with a move on a busy weekend, or taking a minute to listen to someone when they really don't have a minute to spare, they take the time to give. The way they serve would never give the receiver a hint that they have somewhere to be. They simply see a chance to serve and fully give their energy to it. 

Kyle Carnes Photography

My husband fully embodies this trait. The Tews are generous. They are not inconvenienced by the needs of others, they are grateful to have the opportunity to love people no matter when that opportunity occurs. I am a Tew, aren't I? I find more and more that I am still working on this. 

A few weekends ago Daniel and I were in the middle of a movie when a call came to help someone move some furniture. Daniel hopped up right away, no question, to help out. When we were back and about to start the movie, we received a few phone calls from family members just to chat, one after another. I found myself getting fixated on finishing the movie and not being mindful of what really mattered in our evening. 

The way the Tews so freely give their energy and time reminds me of how Jesus loved people. When on his way to heal Jairus' daughter, he was not inconvenienced by the hemorrhaging woman who touched his cloak. When he felt power go out of him, instead of ignoring it and plugging on to his intended destination, he paused, 

Mark 5: 32 And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

 If Jesus, who was clearly of the utmost importance, could stop and serve someone he met on the way, shouldn't we? Serving in the less glamorous ways, for people who are not my immediate people, is not something I am naturally gifted with. But I pray to be more like Jesus, and like the Tews, to serve others without selfish concern of inconvenience. A chance to love someone is much more important than whatever detail I might be fixated on. 

This is the second post in my Lenten series "Love Like Jesus". Check out the first post on fellowship here .