Open Hands and Angel Trees

Near the end of the message, we talked about generosity. Paul thanked the Philippian church for their gift and called it “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” Their giving was worship, not just a transaction.

I shared something my parents taught me. If you hold on to something so tightly that your fists are clenched, your hands are not free to receive anything else. When you live open handed, you are ready both to give and to receive.

We are coming into the holiday season. You may see the angel tree at Walmart or somewhere similar. Every tag represents a child who needs someone to step in and help. It is a simple, practical way to live open handed.

You cannot meet every need in the world. Neither can I. But you and I can ask this question:

“Lord, who do You want me to bless this week?”

Generosity is not about the amount. It is about the heart that says, “God has provided for me, and I want to be part of how He provides for someone else.”

Some ideas:

• Grab an angel tree tag and buy what is listed.
• Pay for someone’s groceries or meal when you can.
• Quietly help a neighbor who is struggling.
• Support a missionary or ministry that has blessed you.

When we live this way, gratitude and generosity start to feed each other. The more thankful we are, the more we want to give. The more we give, the more we see how faithful God really is.

And in all of it, like Paul, we can say, “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Originally published at lakelynn.org.