Image description: Spools of thread in many colors.
Last week, a student said to me, “You know, it’s like my Mom always used to say: ‘Ask and you shall receive’!”
I smiled. “You mean… Jesus?”
“Wait! Jesus said that?!?”
We both laughed hard. It was a very dear moment.
Whether we heard this phrase from Jesus or our various Mamas, I think it’s true. In fact, I’ve started engaging this as a spiritual discipline of sorts. I am practicing asking people for things.
This is because I truly want to live in the directions of abundance and interdependence. We need these.
Last week, with this in mind, I sent an email to people in a local congregation I love. I had a tear around the pocket of my clergy robe which was getting bigger all the time. Last month, it was big enough that I stopped wearing it. I asked if anyone has skills in sewing, naming honestly that that’s not my gift.
I immediately had four people offer to fix it.
When I gave my robe to one of those people on Sunday, she had it finished one day later.
Amazing!
I have a lot of gratitude for this and for the ways other people provide in my life too.
Everyone has skills, time, interests, and resources to share with others. As I’ve begun asking people for their skills, time, interests, and resources, I have begun to consider just as intentionally how I can share my own.
Might I offer to make this person a meal?
Where should I send this extra money?
How do I do the things I do best… toward others?
This is a good discipline.
It’s good to ask.
It’s good to receive.
It’s good to give.
It’s good to provide.
Thanks, Jesus. Thanks, Mom.
Smuggling Grace 