Jesus Must Want Me to be Poor

This is the wrong time of year for attempting to be a better Christ follower.  I have been trying to live the teachings of Jesus and lately I have been trying to give to everyone who asks.

Luke 6:30 says, “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back." (NASB)

I was out to restock the house with snacks and Kool-aid today and got hit up by beggars.  One of the beggars was the cashier, the store is raising money for St. Jude's Hospital.  The other was a group of women asking for money to help battered women.  It was the only time I left the house today, and I gave to two causes.  I wasn't even out of my truck more than 5 or 6 minutes!

When I got home I told my wife, "Jesus must love me being poor!"  I hadn't told her that I had been trying to give to people who asked yet and so she looked at me funny and I explained.  I like giving, don't get me wrong, but we are on a tight budget because we are trying to get out of debt as quickly as possible.  I only get so much money that I can do whatever I want with.

After I explained my new attempts to do the things that Jesus taught, my wife immediately starting asking for this and that.  Nothing big, just to share the snacks I had just bought for me (she and boys are less discriminating than I am when it comes to snack foods, the house had plenty of things for them). Next thing she wanted was me to follow her around the kitchen and rub her back while she got dinner started. I wasn't amused.

I know that soon the Salvation Army will have the bells and red buckets, and nearly every other charity will be out raising money.  Christmas is on its way.
I want to take Jesus at His word so I am going to load up my pockets with change for the red buckets and try to carry single dollar bills as often as I can.

This must have been what Jesus means when he warns us that following Him will not be easy, but come with a cost.  (See the last half of Luke ch. 14)