I get a kick out of reading things like Murphy’s Law and its corollaries. One of my favorites, that I actually haven't seen written in awhile, is attributed to Mrs. Murphy. It says, "Before you do anything, you have to do something else first."Simple. Beautifully frustrating. So true.
Think about it. Before you can go anywhere, you have to get ready first. Before you cook something, you have to go to the grocery store. Before you sit down and read, you most likely have to find your glasses. And so on and so on...you get the point. I’m convinced it is where the phrase "I’m fixing to..." came from.
I’ve been visiting my grandson, Cooper. I came to Michigan with the full realization that I would spend a lot of my time playing with trains. I have not been disappointed. But it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I have given myself to doing what Cooper wants to do. So it doesn’t really matter whether or not it's something I would have chosen to do on my own. I have given myself first to Cooper. (If you’re a grandparent, you know exactly what I’m saying.)
In today’s reading in our workbook, there is a quote from an author saying that when our heart is free, there is no limit to how much we give--whether it’s our influence, finances, time, or service. Once we have given ourselves first to something, then we look for ways to stay engaged.
That is certainly true for me where Cooper is concerned. It was certainly true for the Macedonians in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. See if it’s true for you. Give yourself first to God; you’ll surprise yourself with your own generosity.
- Sheree Yasko Hill
