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GIVE WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO

Let's be honest, on some days it is easier to give than on others. When someone asks me to help with babysitting, I try my best not to schedule it on a Friday night!

Making excuses about timing is no new phenomenon. Jesus gets to the root of the problem when He spoke about the Sabbath in John 7. "For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly" (John 7:23-24, NLT). 

In our time of cell phones and digital calendars, arriving unannounced has become an extinct practice. We plan our schedules as it suits us, giving our time to others on our terms. Unlike Jesus.

In Luke 9, we read how Jesus' plan for some quiet time was disrupted by a whole bunch of needy people. "Then he slipped quietly away with them to the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick" (Luke 9:10-11, NLT). He welcomed them!

How do you feel when your schedule is disrupted by someone else's needs?

Why not give your time when someone needs it rather than when it suits you this Christmas? Instead of suggesting a time, ask your loved ones which time they prefer and adjust your schedule to suit their needs. 

Examine your time excuses and replace them with gifts of inconvenience!