To Holy Trinity Members - here is a story that is familiar to all of us. It reminds me of teaching my children that it matters most what you do when no one is looking. It also reminds us that God is always looking.
The Joy of Giving
by Mark Quade
While walking along the streets of my small Wisconsin hometown I found a wallet lying on the sidewalk. I stopped to pick it up and quickly discovered a large sum of money housed in its folds. While I was only 12 years old at the time, even in today's inflated economy the money in that wallet would be a significant amount. Just imagine the thoughts that ran through my mind as I held that wallet. After all, I was a young boy who got less than a dollar a week in allowance.
"What should I do?" I thought. Temptation loomed large. "Oh what I could do with this money!" My heart was pounding as I dove further into the wallet to see if I could find out who was missing this stash of cash. Among the usual wallet cards and papers I found the owner's ID.
It turns out I knew the owner. His name was Tom, a popular high school jock several years older than I. I didn't know him well. I just kind of admired him from afar. He certainly didn't know who I was. After a few more financial fantasies, I went home and rang him up on the phone. I explained that I had his wallet and he could come pick it up.
And here's the defining moment that I remember all these years later: Tom was extremely grateful not only for the fact that I'd found his wallet, but also that I'd actually offered to return it to him intact. Tom exuded thanks. He offered a reward. I remember his words, "You've given me an early Christmas present." His gratitude certainly wasn't lost on me, but it hadn't occurred to me that this was any kind of a "present." After all, I was just returning to him what was his in the first place. I declined a reward and mumbled something about "the golden rule."
As I replayed the afternoon's events, I knew I had done the right thing, and an uncommon sense of joy came over me. A new "joy of giving" had been stamped indelibly on my psyche. And now, many years later, Jesus' admonishment of how we are to treat others, as recorded in Luke, echoes through the halls of my memory, "for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
At this time of year, we are filled with renewed awe and wonder. This greatest gift of all-the gift of God's son-inspires us to emulate it in some way with our own generosity.
This Epiphany, let us resolve to give freely of ourselves. When we give to others, we give to God. Acting as God's children we put to use what was never really ours. There is no greater joy!
