bountiful eyes

via Flickr

  The ESV version of the Bible translates Proverbs 22:9 like this: "Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor."

  I thought of Christ when I read this. He had a bountiful eye. He saw his bounty in his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He did not keep that to himself but saw us in our sin and came for us - to share his heirship with us (Romans 8:17).

  What do we do with this knowledge, this privilege? Do we store up our bounty for ourselves? Yesterday, I shared the verse about not storing for ourselves treasures on earth. This is along the same lines. We cannot keep this to ourselves - this love, this amazing grace!

  Are we hoarders? Do we hoard our time? Do we hoard our stuff? Do we hoard our talents? What does that look like, in this season of social distancing, to use those things for our neighbors?

  A friend of mine shared a video on Facebook about how to motivate children. As many of us are looking to home school or virtual school with our kids in the coming weeks and months, she wanted to share her wisdom from her dissertation to help her fellow parents.

  How many crafts and activities have been shared online to help us in this time to keep kids brains and creativity going?

  Even this blog has been reborn out of the desire to encourage you from afar. I wouldn't be writing if we weren't all in this conundrum together.

  Another friend is using this time to document all the things her children would not otherwise be doing, in hopes of seeing the good come out of this seemingly bad time.

  So what can you do? If you sew - make some masks for your local hospital. If you don't like to cook - support a local restaurant in this time. If you craft - bless your children or neighbors with your talents. If you bake - do your thing! And share it (your waist will thank you, too).

  Don't hoard your time or talents. The Lord will give you wisdom if you ask; so how will you wisely use this unique time and situation for His glory?

  We're in this together, even when we're apart. I can't wait to see the ways you all use the talents God has given you. Comment below with your ideas.