In yesterday’s post I asked: How is the desert discipline of almsgiving different from the other sorts of giving that we Christians normally do? I suggested that the giving of Lent emphasizes mercy. If that’s true, there’s another piece that follows:
The almsgiving of lent is a kind of giving that’s especially personal…
We city-folk are pretty adept at being impersonal. We’ve got to be. The only way to survive a crowded elevator or a packed subway car is to put up walls of psychological insulation and create some personal space. I get into the zone and soon I’m barely noticing the people around me.
Trouble is, Jesus and his followers didn’t zone out. They zoned in.
There’s the gospel story of a beggar asking Peter and James for money. They didn’t have any—but they still didn’t ignore the guy. ““Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you,” said Peter; “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6)
If a bad-smelling guy asked me for money and I didn’t have any, I think my first reaction would be relief. (“Good—I’ve got the perfect excuse not to talk to this unseemly fellow!”) But Peter and James have the opposite reaction. They have no cash to give the man, so they get even more up close and personal. They help him to be healed.
Now, usually you and I have at least a little cash on hand. And with prayer and discernment, it wouldn’t be bad to give some of it away to someone in need. Sure, there are no-muss/no-fuss giving methods that involve writing a check and sending it off in an envelope. Even cleaner and more modern would be using a credit card or even PayPal online. But there’s something to be said for looking someone in the eye, treating them like a person with dignity, and helping them out, one human being to another. I suspect that’s what the desert discipline of almsgiving calls us to.
What if you determined to be more mindful his week? What if you looked around? You might want to try slowing down your errands or your commute just long enough to notice some people in need that you hadn’t noticed before. You might consider asking Jesus to show you just one person on his heart, someone for whom he has compassion.
And sharing in the compassion of Christ, you might want to ask yourself, “How can I bless this person today?
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