Alexander Maclaren: Crowded kindnesses of God

“Do not let the empty cup be your first teacher of the blessings you had when it was full. Do not let a hard place here and there in the bed destroy your rest. Seek, as a plain duty, to cultivate a buoyant, joyous sense of the crowded kindnesses of God in your daily life.”

Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) Scottish minister in Forty Thousand Quotations, Prose and Poetical, compiled by Charles Noel Douglas (London: George G. Harrap & Co., 1917) 886.

Crowded kindnesses of God.

I was walking our dog, Joy, earlier this week by myself, and it was gorgeous out. I started giving thanks for the day, the fresh air, and the beauty God’s creation (the picture above was taken on another day, but the same walk).

I started praising God for the fact that both kids were off to a great start with school. Then I gave thanks for my wife, my life, my family, and friends. I pretty much came to grips with the fact that life is crowded with the kindnesses of God. I think many people miss these kindnesses altogether, because they are not looking for them. Stop to reflect with thankfulness on the crowded kindnesses of God today.

Sammy will enjoy such walks with Joy over the next few days as Jenni and I fly to Chicago where I will teach for a couple days. We are blessed to go be with my brother, David, and his wife, Joanna. Thank you, Lord!

“God is pleased with no music below so much as the thanksgiving songs of relieved widows and supported orphans; of rejoicing, comforted, and thankful persons.”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) English cleric in Forty Thousand Quotations, Prose and Poetical, compiled by Charles Noel Douglas (London: George G. Harrap & Co., 1917) 886.

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Acts 10:1-4

What prayers and gifts to the poor does God see from you?

“I believe there is a direct correlation between wastefulness and a lack of gratitude for the things we are fortunate enough to possess. After all, it only makes sense that if someone is truly grateful, truly appreciates what he or she has been given, the person will take good care of it. Whether a child with a common toy or a wealthy businessman with a yacht, those who are grateful will be good stewards of their possessions. They will get the longest life and the most out of the things for which they are truly thankful. In fact, as true stewards, they will continually be mindful of the value of things that they have and how these things can be used to benefit others.”

John M. Templeton, Jr. in Thrift and Generosity: The Joy of Giving (West Conshohocken: Templeton Foundation Press) 23-24.

Think of ways to cultivate gratitude in your life and the lives of those around you. The Apostle Paul suggested that we simply give thanks in all circumstances. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Take five minutes today to give thanks for whatever comes to mind.

“We must be known for our immovable commitment to the standards and values of Jesus—those of respect, faithfulness, love, grace, mercy, duty, justice, forgiveness, compassion and generosity—all born out of the genuine spirituality that results from a depth of relationship with God. The extent to which any local church is not primarily known for these qualities speaks to the challenge ahead of us.

The moment has come for the church to abandon, once and for all, a theology of judgement, a theology of in or out, sinner or saint, forgiven or not. We must more fully embrace a theology…which is able to celebrate the goodness of creation without ignoring the great problem of sin. The time has come for the church to ensure that the main thing is the main thing.

Generous churches see the good in others and respond with a spirit of kindness and open-handedness rather than judgement. Generous churches acknowledge the issue of sin in each individual’s life, but they do so within a context of recognizing their own daily battle in this area. Generous churches do not look down on people; they look across at people. A generous church, to rephrase the words of the famous nineteenth-century Baptist preacher, C. H. Spurgeon, is a group of beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.

We are not some kind universalist entity that says that everybody receives salvation whether or not they acknowledge Christ; instead we recognize the greatness and weakness in all people. None of us are perfect—all have fallen short. Generous mission starts with the simple but profound truth: ‘God loves you whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, however scarred you are by sin. God loves you!’ A generous church recognises that its tone and emphasis are as important as the core of its message.”

Steve Chalke in Intelligent Church: A Journey Towards Christ-Centred Community (Grand Rapids: Zondervan).

What’s your response to Chalke? I consider it a call to action. Generous churches are communities of generous Christ-followers living on generous mission. Who’s in?

“Praying is an act of stewardship in which even the smallest child can participate. Praying helps us focus on the idea that everything we do is done with God’s help and for God’s glory. If you’re not comfortable with making up a prayer, you can use the stewardship prayer in this book.”

Stewardship Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for everything you have given me. My gifts of time and talents are precious; help me use them to do your will. Please help me realize that I need to share all of my gifts with the Church and others. Help me be a generous, forgiving, and holy. I offer you this day all I think, and do, and say. With the help of Jesus, your Son, I will try to love everyone. Amen.

Elizabeth M. Johnson in The Catholic Kid’s Guide to Stewardship (Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2004) 7, 53.

What is the role of prayer in your understanding and practice of stewardship? How might this prayer shape your stewardship? Can you think of anyone you might share it with?

“Selfish children can’t bless the world, but unselfish children can shower the world with blessings. Take a look at the qualities found in a selfish child versus the qualities found in an unselfish child.

Selfish child: demanding, arrogant, holds grudges, unappreciative, stingy, and lazy. Unselfish child: empathetic, grace-filled, forgiving, grateful, generous, helpful. How, then, do we cultivate generous, unselfish children? Teach them to live with open hands and open hearts…Show your children how to love others generously…

Give the gift of prayer for someone who needs God’s help. Let your children see you “praying on the spot” for those who need it…Give a helping hand to strangers and friends alike…Give a word of encouragement to someone.”

Jill Rigby in Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World (New York: Howard, 2008) 185-186.

Rigby inspired me this morning. Let’s live in such a way that if someone shot a video of us today for the young people in our lives to watch, they would see practical ways to show God’s love from our example.

Father in Heaven, help us model for our children, for others’ children, and for our children’s children how to live with open hands and open hearts so that our lives reflect Christ’s love to a self-absorbed world. Amen.

“True generosity implies an openhearted willingness to give freely, without thought of personal gain or return. It means we give because someone has a need, and we care about them. Sacrifice or inconvenience may be involved, but we don’t see it as a loss since this kind of sharing is inherently rewarding.

Surely, this describes a major aspect of what we do as parents. We give to our children because they need us, and we give to them even more during some of their most difficult stages, putting our own needs aside to meet theirs. If we hope to be rewarded by them in some specific or immediate way, we are likely to be disappointed…

The most important thing we can give our children is our presence and our attention. We must never forget that just being with our kids is nurturing to them at any age. However, sharing our time with them is sometimes the most difficult thing to do…We cannot make up for lost time. It is far more important to use the time we do have together in meaningful ways.”

Dorothy Law Nolte and Rachel Harris Children Learn What They Live: Parenting to Inspire Values (New York: Workman, 1998) 155-156.

When we generously and consistently give our children our presence and our attention, we not only nurture them. We teach them how to listen, love, and care for others. God help us do this well every opportunity we get, even though the older they get, often the more sacrifice and time it requires.

While Jenni remains in San Diego today helping Sophie get settled, I am spending the day with Sammy, assisting him as he leads a guided fly fishing outing for three men: John Van Drunen (my dear friend and EVP of ECFA), and Joel and Bo Kilby (John’s brother-in-law and father-in-law).

Lord, thanks for the gift of time with our children today!

“Go into the world filled with grace and generosity. Rejoice in the profusion [that is, the abundance] of creation and make peace. Be more than fair, showing the tender compassion of God who created and redeemed you. Amen.”

Gill Ambrose in “The Sending Out Prayer” in Prayer and Prayer Activities: For Worship with Adults, Children and All Ages (London: Canterbury Press, 2013) 49.

As Sophie gets oriented at San Diego Christian College and Sammy moves his things into his apartment at Colorado Christian University today, this prayer seemed fitting. Join me in praying it over those we serve and send out.

“When our children face life’s disappointments, they benefit by knowing we are on the sidelines giving our love and prayer support, understanding their struggles to the best of our ability, and believing they can and will work things through. These gifts will help equip them to get through their disappointments and determine how to best move forward. We can pray that God will give them wisdom as they make crucial choices, knowing His plan for them may not be the same as ours but will be what is best for them.”

Nancy Williams in Secrets to Parenting Your Adult Child (Bloomington: Bethany House, 2011) 108.

This week we are dropping Sophie off at college, and we will leave her with the gifts of love and prayer support. Why do this? These are the things she will need most in the days, months, and years to come. Whether you have grown children or not, join us in giving the gifts of love and prayer support to the next generation.

“Are we ready to bless our grown children by letting go of whatever holds us back and staying involved where we can be of most benefit, especially in the areas where God is inviting us to trust Him more? Through acknowledging God’s care and guidance over our adult children’s life choices, circumstances, and experiences, we can choose to open our hands and surrender to Him the fears, concerns, and anxieties to which we cling. In exchange, we’ll receive a greater measure of joy and the insight gained in letting go and staying connected.”

Debra Evans in Blessing Your Grown Children: Affirming, Helping, and Establishing Boundaries (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2012) 73.

We can trust God to provide for our needs and to take care of our grown children. Thankfully, that includes Sammy in his second year at Colorado Christian University and Sophie in her first year at San Diego Christian College. What a great God we serve!