Expanded Compassion

"'Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you are living as an alien the same kindness I have shown you.' Abraham said, 'I swear it.'" Genesis 21:23

Expanded Compassion
By Rev. William Dohle

'Tis the season to be generous! Generous to our loved ones. Generous to our churches. Generous to those in need.

As thousands flock to the stores in search of the perfect gift for their loved ones so come those seeking help for those in need. Christmas is notorious for giving and each Christmas season you find thousands of charities asking for help, each with their target audience.

There are the Toys for Tots group...spearheaded by the Marines...out to give kids toys for Christmas.

There's the Salvation Army bell ringers, in front of the stores, ringing bells for the hungry and needy they minister to.

There is, of course, your local food bank who have, I hear, been hit hard by the needs of people searching for something to eat.

We all have our charities we give to and causes that mean something to us. It's part of who we are.

And it's part of what makes this season so great. This season of giving that extends past our individual families into the world around us.

But imagine if that compassion, that giving, had no end. Imagine extending that giving past the 25 days of Christmas and into the rest of the year. Into the rest of our lives. Imagine promising to be generous and faithful to someone, and their children, and their grandchildren, forever!

That's the promise Abraham makes to Abimelech and Phicol, leaders of the Philistines. With Abraham living in their land, these leaders aim to ensure that Abraham will return the blessings they have bestowed on him.

What Abraham does, though, far exceeds their expectations.

"So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech and the two men made a treaty. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?" He replied, "Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well."

Now this act might not make sense to us, but imagine it a more modern way.

Imagine being asked for a shirt...and giving someone a suit.
Imagine being asked for dollar, and being given a hundred dollars.
Imagine asking for a little help...and receiving the promise of help forever.
Imagine committing to giving something...and giving a little more on top of it.

That's the generosity that Abraham has!

And that's the generosity his children (us by faith) are called to have as well. It's a generosity that extends past a single season of giving into a lifetime of generous living. Generosity that isn't just concerned with doing what is right, but going beyond right to doing what is good.

A generosity that, in Jesus words, "Gives to everyone who asks of you."

It's amazing! And crazy! But it can happen! As Abraham shows in his reaction to Abimelech, we too can extend our generosity past the Christmas season and into the rest of our lives by doing just a little more than what is expected of us. We too can respond to the generosity of the Lord, the Eternal God, with generous hearts toward others.

Generous God, you have given us the world! You have given us your Son and we are truly thankful. Make us generous in all things that we might be like your servant, Abraham, going above and beyond all expectations, beyond what is right to doing what is good, through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.