The first scene in my newspaper was Hagar carrying a loaded sack of loot over his left shoulder saying, "Look what I have!" to a guardsman. In the second scene Hagar holds out the sack in both hands toward a knight and proclaims, "Behold my great bounty!" This goes on for two more scenes. In the last scene, a monk is admonishing Hagar: "Brother Hagar, be sure to share your good fortune with others!" Hagar replies: "That's what's I've been doing!"
For me, this was one of those "cause for a pause" moments. It did make me chuckle. But it also made me think.
Most likely, the monk meant something different than Hagar by "share". Whether or not Hagar knew that difference or chose to get around the meaning of the word with his interpretation of the word..... well, unless we speak with Hagar, we will not know. Did Hagar fulfill the letter of the law, so to speak? Did he fulfill the intention?
If you want to stop reading now, I would understand. I'm going to move from Hagar to personal. Not you necessarily, but you might take it that way. And you might not want that. Who wants to be confronted with truth that might cause pain that might lead to healing and growth? Ouch! Well, I don't like the pain, but I sure desire the healing and growth part.... so here goes....
What about me? What about those of us not living in color on the pages of a comic strip? Do I, do we, choose to share with those around us in a manner that really doesn't impact them solely to say, like Hagar, "That's what's I've been doing!"? Am I willing to open up the sack of loot and really share from my abundance with another or am I just showing what I have?
When you add into the mix that we are no longer a world closed off because of technology, this becomes even more penetrating to me. Because of social media we can share our lives with one another all over the world. Yet, what is "normal" and possibly even necessary in some situations in my portion of the world will seem crazy extravagant in others. I think about that when I travel to seminary and stay overnight in the Bed and Breakfasts or the Asbury Inn. I stay in those places rather than on campus because I don't want to drag all my bedding, shower curtain, etc. for two nights when I go for a weekend. It costs a little more, but it's worth the cost. Yet, to someone in another land and culture and situation, how does it appear? Am I Hagar, just showing off the bag of loot?
Any time we can take a moment to reflect, a "cause for a pause", it is good. I'm not going to write out all the ways of justification that I believe I "share" in reality what God has given me to others, because I don't think that's the point here. For me, the point is being aware that God does give us riches, whether that is time, gifts, energy, money, etc. to share.... and we are to share that with others in such a way that benefits them. Ah, that's the key. Now, we may not always get it right. I know I don't. But that's the goal.
As it says in Ephesians (4:12), the purpose of the gifts are for building up the body (that means for the good of others, in community).
What "loot" do you have to share?
How are you sharing it?
If you're not sure what is in your "sack", ask around you.... others can help you see more clearly.
I'll close with this quote that I read recently. It's by Frederick Buechner:
"Whatever you do with your life--whatever you end up achieving or not achieving--the great gift you have in you to give to the world is the gift of who you alone are; your way of seeing things, and saying things, and feeling about things, that is like nobody else’s. If so much as a single one of you were missing, there would be an empty place at the great feast of life that nobody else in all creation could fill."
Debra
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