I’m all drowsy on cough syrup right now, feeling a little bunged up and groggy. Currently struggling to differentiate between being ill or being highly medicated, and trying to induce a minor temperature to help me fight off all the bugs in my system.

I saw Frankie again today… on my way getting a Starbucks breakfast. I see him a lot there now. I saw Frankie and he noticed how much more subdued and hoarse I was. Frankie was making himself some breakfast on a bench and was busy rolling cigarettes out of left over butts that he collected into a bunch of BC liquor bags.

Frankie seemed genuinely saddened to hear I was ill and remarked on how there was a bug going around. He then reached in to his coat pocket and offered to give me his vitamin C tablets with a multi b vitamin complex, or something.

What never ceases to amaze me is that Frankie gives out of his poverty whilst many in our society simply give in our abundance.

What is charity?

Giving is no longer sacrificial in our society and culture. I often get guilt tripped in to giving only after being smothered with photos and videos of emaciated children in a 3rd world country. Other times when we’re prompted by the annoyance of someone in a bunny suit passing a bucket in a bar or club. There are those than give money to a cause, a charity, and then consider themselves righteous in their society because of their generous contributions. There are the celebrities who give because they just had an extra marital affair and their PR agency suggested that a donation to a children’s cancer organization would be sufficient to redeem them in the eyes of the public and now acceptable to regain the lost sponsorship from their previous misdemeanors.

Even Christians can give out of guilt or self righteousness. I know I have been guilty of both. But then there are those who have nothing and give out of their nothing. I love how the early Macedonian church gave similarly our of their extreme poverty, (2 Cor 8:1-5) and similarly gave huge glory to God. A similar echo is heard in the story of the poor widow, who again gave from her poverty. (Mark 12:41-44)

Love and Sacrifice

As usual, I guess it always comes down to the heart. Giving from a stingy or righteous heart means nothing no matter how much you give. A man could give tens of thousands in total towards charitable causes a year, but it’s barely a pinch in his pocket if he is earning in the millions. True giving is out of cheerfulness, and true giving is sacrificial, and even more so… true love requires sacrifice. But where there is sacrifice there is death.

Sacrifice means that you have to give up something of yourself, and usually meaning you need to put something to death. With sacrifice there is a cost or price to be paid.

Basic acts of love require similar acts of sacrifice. We sacrifice and put to death our own time, that we may give it in love to our friends and family. We sacrifice and put to death our own abundant wealth that in love others might live a life more comfortable than poverty.

In the past I have tried sacrificing my health, in favour love for a slimmer body. Some sacrifice their health to the point of death in favor and love for a slimmer body. I even remember sacrificing grocery and rent money in favour for make-up and clothes. I have in the past and still struggle as I refuse to reconcile old friendships and even relationships with my relatives to save the love of my pride. In those circumstances I put to death the friendship and relationship and live embittered that I might save face.

When I do evil, I sacrifice and put to death my relationship with our God and Creator, and similarly I put myself to death in favor for my desire to do what I want, when I want it, how I want it.

The Greatest Love

I think everyone would agree, the biggest sacrifice anyone could give for a friend is their life. There is no bigger sacrifice. Every day I fail to remember that I have a friend that gave his life that I might live.

I love that Jesus sacrificed and allowed himself to be put to death that for His love of me I would live. And similarly, I now live in pursuit of putting to death my sin that for the love of the reconciled relationship I have with my God and creator.

I love that Frankie, in his poverty, insisted and offered to sacrifice his vitamins for me that I might be healthy.That’s a real sacrifice right there.

John 15:13

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (ESV)