40acts: The Lent Generosity ChallengeSample

By now you’ve probably caught on – a surprising amount of living generously is simply noticing people. That’s even more true today, as we look to bless lonely people. Sometimes we only notice them when they actually tell us they’re lonely. But there are plenty of lonely people who never say a word. 

Psalm 68:5–6 shows that God doesn’t want His people to be isolated. We’re told that He sets the lonely in families and that He leads out the prisoners with singing. We were designed by our loving Father to live in community, to spend time with each other and to grow and develop in love.

Loneliness can feel like a dirty secret sometimes, like acknowledging that you’re somehow deficient and defective. It’s as though you didn’t get invited to the party or picked for the team, like everyone is playing the game while you watch from the sidelines. It feels shameful to say the words out loud – I’m lonely – so we mostly don’t. 

These are the nagging questions underlying the pain and the shame: Do I matter? Does anyone see me?

In the Gospel stories, we find Jesus, over and over again speaking into these deep longings, showing people on the margins that they are worthy of His time and attention, that they matter to Him, that He really sees them. The woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, the blind man, the leper, the crippled woman: Jesus offers His presence to each of them, seeing who they are and meeting their needs. 

It doesn’t take very long to look around and realise that all sorts of people are lonely. People with chronic illnesses, or carers. Parents of children with special needs. Widows, people with disabilities, people who live alone. People whose partner works long hours. People who are grieving all kinds of losses. People with depression. 

One of the most generous gifts we can give people is ourselves: our time, our attention, our willingness to care about them. When we show up for people in this way, we become the hands and feet of Jesus. We answer people’s deepest questions: you matter, I see you. 

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Deuteronomy 31:6 assures us that, however isolated or fearful we feel, the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. Who can you show that truth to today?

 Find more about today’s 40acts challenge on our blog:   

https://40acts.org.uk/act-35-i-spy/