Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. Proverbs 3:28
“Not even night should interrupt you in your duty of mercy. Do not say: “Come back and I will give you something tomorrow.” There should be no delay between your intention and your good deed. Generosity is the one thing that cannot admit of delay… The grace of a good deed is doubled when it is done with promptness and speed…
Let us visit Christ whenever we may; let us care for him, feed him, clothe him, welcome him, honor him, not only at a meal, as some have done, or by anointing him, as Mary did, or only by lending him a tomb, like Joseph of Arimathea, or by arranging for his burial, like Nicodemus… or by giving him gold, frankincense, and myrrh, like the Maji…”
Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) in Sermon 14 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 600-601.
As we ponder the intersection of generosity and the incarnation, Gregory exhorts us to have no delay and adds eloquently that “the grace of a good deed is doubled when it is done with promptness and speed.”
Let’s think about that in light of the biblical characters he mentions.
Mary did not hesitate in anointing him. Joseph and Nicodemus acted fast when it was not popular. And the Maji saw the start and made haste to bring their gifts to the newborn king.
We must ask ourselves: Do we delay or do we act with such promptness and speed?
As the CEO of a ministry that largely serves poor Christian workers worldwide, I identify with those in need. At GTP, we have learned not to give them handouts which create dependency but a hand up to build them up as a disciples.
Please give generously locally, without delay, and consider GTP in your global giving.
Our year end need was over $250,000 weeks ago and now is closer to $184,000. We praise God for the progress and yet the need is still great. Click here to give. Join us in prayer for people to give with promptness and speed.
Remember, if we hit this target it positions us to activate a $1.25 million 5-year grant in 2024. It’s huge.