Three Ways to Sow Goodness

This time of year always has me thinking about Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. It is one of my favorite stories and not just Christmas based ones. I love it because Scrooge represents all of us to some level. Whether we think it is true or not, every human struggles with isolation or the concept of ownership- sharing isn’t just some thing that little children have a problem with!

And because of this time of year, as known for generosity and goodwill towards others, I thought that this verse was perfectly fitting for us to dive into and hopefully memorize. So I put together a little list of ways that we can sow things that we would reap something better than wasted time scrolling on our phones. If you are looking for some ways to invest in your family, friends, and your community for richer life I hope one or two of these will be helpful for you!

1: Send a note of appreciation or encouragement. This one might seem like a lot because I’m not just asking you to send an email or a text but an actual handwritten letter. I used to have pen pals growing up and I can’t tell you how much fun it was to receive letters! I still send letters these days alone not as much as I’d like to. Receiving a note from someone you care about having them tell you how much they appreciate you means so much. it can have an even greater impact when sent to people who you don’t get to see often or who don’t get a chance to get out very much.

2: Make a sweet or savory treat and bring it to one of your neighbors. While I’m sure there are many people reading this who don’t consider themselves bakers or chefs. But we all have the ability to follow the directions on the back of a box or pick out something small from the store when we do our weekly grocery trip. The extra thought and care that goes in that process of making or picking out and then bringing over to our neighbors house has the ability to create connection and a smile. And who doesn’t love a fun treat this time of year?

3: Take some money out of your budget and create some care bags. There are a lot of people who have next to nothing this time of year and we often walk right past them when they hold up their signs asking for money or help.  You can have them in your car and hand them out at stoplights when you see the signs in peoples hands. Jesus said whatever we did for the least of these we did for him. When I created these care bags in the past, my heart has really been softened for people struggling in the situation. There are a lot of inexpensive and helpful things to fill a bag with. Even the bag itself can be helpful! I’ve included things like socks, granola bars, water, a small printed map of local food banks or shelters, a small gift card to a local grocery store or fast food restaurant and of course, I like to include a copy of God’s Word as well. Imagine being in that position and instead of someone turning their eyes away from you, they hand you a bag full of helpful essentials and the words God loves you. Simple things like that have the power to change lives.

So friends, the list isn’t too long, but it can be applied in so many different ways! That’s up to us! If you try any of these, or if you have in the past, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Or if you have other ways you’d like to add to this list, please feel free to share! And as always, if you’re joining our community this week in memorizing this verse, happy memorizing!