What delight to find an unfamilar story in this week's Bible Lesson on Substance! It is about young king Joash. His wicked grandmother had become ruler some years before, commanding that all Hebrew boys be killed. Joash escaped because a loving aunt hid him. The queen followed Baal during her reign but when Joash became king he helped the people return to worshiping the one true God. First they needed to rebuild the temple she had destroyed.
Joash commanded that a chest be built and set outside by the temple gate. This enabled those who wished to cast money into it. And they did, from the princes on down. When the Levites, the priests, brough the chest in at night there was much money. They emptied into the treasury and put the chest outside again each day. The collected funds were used to pay masons and carpentersas well as those who worked in brass and iron, to mend what had been broken. In this way they put the house of God in order.
This section of the Lesson is about cheerful giving. That is what I want to focus on today. It is not about donations of money, although that can happen. It is more about coming to see through my daily prayer and study of Christian Science just what talents and gifts I have from God and how I can share those with others. If I am not in a position to give money, what else can I give today?
My time. My attention. A smile. A hug. A listening ear. A thought that might help someone who is struggling. An atmosphere of calm and peace. Love. A compliment. Encouragement. The right thought about someone or something.
None of those things would impoverish me in any way. In fact, they bless me in return. God loves a cheerful giver and I resolve to give cheerfully all day today.
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