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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Written by Rachel Baker

I felt very blessed at Thanksgiving this year because my entire family was able to gather and eat together. And like all good southern Americans, the main beverage option at our table was sweet tea. There was a (much smaller) pitcher of unsweet tea for those who provided a doctor's note restricting their sugar consumption (bless their hearts). Because we're hospitable like that here in the South.

There were a lot of people who wanted sweet tea, so the available amount decreased quickly. This is the point at which the hostess begins to stress because making more tea takes time. Sure, she could dip a few tea bags into cold water with sugar and serve that, but it would be a poor imitation of what she wanted to give everyone. Who would benefit from weak tea with grainy sugar? No one is happy with the results, and the hostess is left feeling like she could have done better.

So she took the time – the water boiled, the tea steeped, and the sugar dissolved. And there was much rejoicing.

As we move into this holiday season of giving, may we all remember the lesson of the sweet tea. It is easy to rush around from one event to the next, and there are always plenty of opportunities to give of our energy, money, and time. Are you also being intentional to replenish these resources? Just as no one likes a cup of cold, grainy, weak tea, it benefits no one if you are giving from a place of stress and exhaustion.

Set aside time to rest. Do things that bring you joy. Find a few minutes to be still with God, and let His peace surround you in the midst of a hectic schedule.

The Thanksgiving guests were grateful to have a hostess who took the time to make sweet tea, and the people in your life will be so thankful to receive the sweetest parts of you.

*Written by Rachel Baker for Iron Rose Sister Ministries blog, Dec. 2019

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“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48b

The financial application of this verse is timely and relevant in light of #Giving2x2Tuesday and the encouragement to share end-of-year support with churches and nonprofit organizations. As a ministry, we are honored and humbled to be able to do what we do because of generous supporters like many of you. Thank you! And if you missed the #Giving2x2Tuesday opportunity, it is not too late to make a donation!

However, I have reflected upon other facets of the application of this verse—the spiritual ones. To extend a blessing to others is a declaration of our appreciation for the blessing we have received. What has been given to me I am called to give to others.

The forgiveness I give to others correlates to the Father’s forgiveness of me (Matt. 6:14-15). The grace with which we have been treated must be passed on to others (Matt. 18).
The compassion the Father has demonstrated by not treating me as my sins deserves inspires me to show compassion to others.

Yet if I neglect to recognize all that I have been given, I will be stingy in sharing it with others.

Who am I to judge who is deserving of blessings or not? Nevertheless, I identify with the older brother’s outrage and fall into the trap of thinking I deserve more (Luke 15:25-32). However, if it were dependent on merit or what we deserved... let’s just say I am so thankful it is not (Ps. 103:10-14)!

We are merely stewards of our blessings (Matt. 25:14-30) and when we share them with others, His light shines brighter (2 Cor. 4:5-7).

Why give?

We serve a God of abundance (2 Cor. 9:8-15). His blessings are limitless (Phil. 4:19). He gives generously to all (James 1:17). And we are blessed to be able to give from what we have been given, thus multiplying the blessings.