Give when it’s not fair
Written by Haley Earley, Development and Community Engagement Assistant at the Rochester Salvation Army
There’s a popular song, “Fix My Eyes” by For King & Country that regularly plays on Christian radio stations. It’s an upbeat song which just might cause you to start bobbing your head along to the beat. The chorus is especially catchy:
Love like I’m not scared
Give when it’s not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on You
On You
It’s quite a statement for this world and could literally become a personal mission. Yet as I found myself singing along to this song, one line jumped out at me: “Give when it’s not fair.”
It’s so easy to make excuses not to give. I’m saving up for something. They probably do drugs. I have worked hard and deserve this money. It’s my last bottle of water. I don’t have time to stop and talk…the list could go on.
To give when it’s not fair means I have to sacrifice. It calls me to be compassionate even at the most inconvenient times. It begs me to trust God.
There are many ways we can give. We can give of our time by entering into conversation with someone whom we would normally ignore. We can give of our skills by seeking volunteer opportunities in the community. We can give of our resources by passing on items we no longer use or supplying a bag of groceries to someone in need.
Throughout this week, consider looking at your interactions to see when you choose to serve yourself before others. You may just find areas in which God is asking you to give, even when it’s not fair.