Sharing treasures and light - September 25
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 87, 90; PM Psalm 136; 2 Kings 11:1-20a; 1 Cor. 7:10-24; Matt. 6:19-24
It is one of these chilly autumn mornings. The windows of our home office are covered in condensation and I can hear the chirps and chips of creatures outside, invigorated by the cool morning air. What I thought would be a great time to write this morning’s reflection in silence has resulted in something different. Everyone in the household, humans and pets alike, is up early on a Saturday morning. Chirping, chipping, and joyous.
As the din of giggles upstairs taper off, my mind slips to reflections of yesterday afternoon. I attended the funeral of a lovely, kind woman named Kay Kellum. I got to know her and her late husband Mike when we sang in the choir. Kay, a buoyant alto, exuded a warmth and joy. Her face always glowed. Her eyes twinkled. Compassionate, funny, full of spunk and wisdom. I think of Kay when I read this continuation of the sermon on the mount, for Jesus is offering nuggets of wisdom to those who have ears to hear:
“‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
‘The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light;” (Matthew 6:19-22)
Kay lived into Jesus’ words. Her whole body was full of light, as her eyes shined with God’s love. She was always giving away treasures to others. She donated to numerous charities that resonated with her heart for caring for those who are struggling. She had been a social worker for the burn unit at UAB. When she was no longer on the floors of the hospital helping families through hard times, Kay was committed to sharing financially with others. She wrote cards of encouragement and care all the time; with her copious handwritten notes, Kay kept the postal service occupied even on the slowest of days. Each time she heard an ambulance or fire truck’s siren, she immediately prayed for those affected by the emergency at hand. Kay told me once that she did not sleep well at night. There were times she would lie awake for hours. Rather than counting sheep, she would pray for people. Pray and pray and pray. Her prayers redeemed the frustration of sleeplessness. It became sacred time of connection with God.
All of this doing and giving and being that Kay lived was valuable, because she was grounded fully in God’s love. Love of family. Love for the whole human family. That is where her heart was. That was her treasure.
As we enter these next few weeks of stewardship conversations at Saint Stephen’s, exploring how giving has changed our lives, I will be giving thanks and remembering Kay, a beacon of love and generosity. I encourage you to think of a person who inspires you to give more. What would it be like to incorporate some of that person’s qualities into your own life?
--Katherine+
Questions for Reflection
Who is someone who has shown care and compassion to you in a time when you really needed it?
Who are the people you treasure most? Who holds you in high esteem like that?
Daily Challenge
Think of someone who inspires you to love more deeply and give more freely. Tell that person today – through spoken or written word – how much they mean to you, and how they have changed your life.