Today as I was enjoying my day off with my kids and husband. We got an unusual treat for South Georgia- SNOW! It was so beautiful as it came drifting down in huge flakes and covered the ground. There was just enough for us to take the girls outside and let them play in it. We laughed and played and made a mini snowman that Zoey named "Andy". It was a fun day.
And then, after we had come inside and thawed out, I noticed the mail laying on the counter. There was some junk mail, and then a letter from Holt International- an adoption agency that we support financially on a monthly basis. I opened the letter and saw that it was a plea for financial support of their orphanage in Haiti that has been affected by the earthquake.
My initial response was to throw it away. We already support them monthly...why send in an extra gift? Many times it's a stretch for us to simply pay the bills we already have. But as I reached for the trash, the Holy Spirit checked me and reminded me that love seeks to be a blessing.
During this week of focusing on love, I have been praying for the Lord to open up doors for me to show that love to people. I have been attentive and aware, looking for an opportunity to be used by the Holy Spirit to show someone the love of Christ. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had come up. But here, a letter in my hands was giving me the chance to show love to a people very much in need. And I was about to throw it away.
You see, I believe we all want to be a blessing. We all want people to look at us and say "Wow, they are making such a difference." We want to make our mark on humanity. But many times, we want to show love on our terms. We want to bless the people that we choose. And sadly, we miss out on so many opportunities to really show the love of Christ and make a difference. Living a Spirit-led life means letting Him choose how, when, and who we bless.
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18
I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to give you more opportunities to show the love of Christ. And when He opens a door to do just that, don't dismiss it because of the effort or sacrifice it requires. True, Spirit-grown love will always require effort and sacrifice. It won't always bring recognition and appreciation. You may find yourself blessing people who will never even know your name. But God knows your name and sees your deeds. When you seek to be a blessing to others, you are blessing your Heavenly Father.
And I can't think of any better reason to sacrifice than to put a smile on my Father's face.
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