Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDV

Angie and I have worked hard down through the years trying to make a better life for ourselves and those we love. We've had some measures of success, but we've also made our share of mistakes. Although things aren't, and never will be, exactly the way we want them, on the whole, we've done okay and we're living a happy middle class life. What we have wasn't given to us...we earned it. We sleep cool in the summer and warm in the winter; we each drive a nice reliable vehicle; we take nice trips; we eat at nice restaurants; we wear quality, fashionable apparel; and we buy nice gifts for our grandchildren. We firmly believe that what we have worked so hard to attain is ours to use the way we see fit. Let's take it one step further. I am the eldest of four children. My parents could not afford to send me to college, and even if they had been able to save enough down through the years for my education, there's no way they could've done it for four of us, which would've led them to the decision, "Don't give something to one that you can't give to everyone." That means that my education was totally paid by me. Therefore, if there are those who are less fortunate than I am because of the fact that I have a better education....well, I worked and paid for that too. There again, nothing was given to me. I guess what I'm I'm trying to do is state my case that I owe nothing to any part of society that does nothing for me. Technically, and maybe even legally, that may be true. But if I lived by that philosophy, what would it say about me? I'm afraid it would bear out that, even though I may feel compassion, I don't act on it, possibly because I want to make sure that the wants and needs of my family are taken care of first. Maybe I would need to go back a couple weeks and re-read what I wrote about how, as a child of God, created in his image, I live a life that is better than I deserve. I would also need to consider the fact that the way I was raised most definitely had a positive effect on the man I became, which means that I can't take all the credit for any success I've had. If I'm honest with myself, I have to admit that I've had some opportunities that don't befall every individual, but does that obligate me to give a portion of what's mine to those who have less? The answer is, "No, it doesn't." However, if I am to become the kind of man I say I want to be, I have to go beyond obligation. It must be done while bringing as little attention to myself as possible, yet benefitting those who can do absolutely nothing for me in return. If it is to be done right, I must not receive any type of material reward for my action. As we do every Christmas season, our church is offering an "Adopt a Kid" program where people select names of needy children and fulfill their Christmas wish lists of toys and clothing. When I saw all the cards with the children's names and information, it was mind boggling, but it made me feel so much better when people were still wanting to participate long after all the cards had been taken. It made me realize that there is a large number of people who feel the same way I do about helping those in need. I am a firm believer that when we go above and beyond what's comfortable in order to help those in need, we find that, miraculously, what we're able to do for our own families is in no way diminished. It's a principle of giving that can't be proven by science or with a calculator, yet it works over and over again. But it only works when we take the plunge and do it. Preston