On Giving...

Giving...

It's Good Friday today.  For some reason, I've found myself thinking about several topics related to Easter today and this evening.  Giving is one of those.  We also give gifts at Christmas time to celebrate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ.  I feel like, as important as the Savior's birth was, his sacrifice was an even more important event in the Gospel plan.  

As a kid, I would look forward to the visits from the Easter Bunny.  In our house, the Easter Bunny was kind of a junior varsity (JV) version of Santa.  He brought some cool stuff, but on a much smaller scale than Santa did  for Christmas.  I know the Easter Bunny will be making a stop at our house this weekend to keep the tradition going for our kids, but we don't really give gifts to each other for Easter.  Maybe we should.

I was talking to a friend today on the phone.  She was in the airport preparing to fly home after a trip.  As I was talking to her, someone approached her trying to sell her a pen for a dollar.  The person was apparently deaf.  My friend related this to me as it was happening.

Instinctively, I thought to tell my friend to just buy one from her.  I knew the money wouldn't mean much to my friend who is a well-paid professional.  My friend, however, was way ahead of me.  She has a kind heart and made a donation of a dollar to the would-be pen salesperson, even though she didn't need the pen.  

I don't know if my friend realized that it was Good Friday today, but I certainly think that she did a good deed.  And it was a good example to me of giving to people who are in need.  Especially because the pen salesperson wasn't out begging.  He or she was willing to work--to offer something of value in an effort to improve their situation--even though he or she did not have much.  I also find that admirable.

Homemade knit hats and scarves

A close friend related the following story to me as well tonight.  She was with her family, parked in a minivan, in a parking lot near a local Costco tonight.  She looked up to see a man approaching her window.  Eye contact was made and it was impossible for her to ignore the man.

The man was dressed for the cold night air.  He was a little older and looked like he was in need of a good meal, a hot shave, and a warm shower.  Her first thought was that she was a bit startled and worried for the safety of her kids who were sitting in the rear seats watching a movie.

The man walked up to the driver side window and held up a clear plastic bag that had some sort of knit items in it.  She rolled down her window enough for him to explain that they were homemade hats (beanies) and scarves that his wife had made.  He gave a quick, but heartfelt, sales pitch about how soft and well-made the items were.

My friend listened politely, but had no interest in the items.  She told the old man thanks, but no thanks.  The old man's countenance visibly dropped and his shoulders slumped as he turned to walk off.  My friend--still a bit startled--started the car to drive off to her next destination.

As she backed out and left the parking lot, she couldn't help but notice the old man approaching others with his bundle of homemade goods.  There weren't many goods in there, but it really looked like he could use the money.  He approached everyone he could see in the parking lot.  One man raised both hands immediately as soon as the old peddler approached.  Even though my friend couldn't hear what was said, the potential customers's body language sent a clear, unmistakable message.  "No."

After each rejection, the old peddler visibly reacted.  The despair was pretty palpable to anyone careful enough to observe.

My friend left the parking lot, but could not leave the memory of the encounter behind.  She thought about how the man had been sincere and hadn't asked for a handout.  He had only asked to sell a product that he seemed to truly believe in.  My friend didn't need a scarf or a beanie.  (She lives in Southern California after all!)  But she couldn't help but feel like she didn't realily need the few extra dollars in her pocket that were left over from feeding her kids.  But that money probably would have really meant something to the old peddler.

She couldn't shake the prompting that she should have done something to help the old peddler.  She turned around and went back.  The old peddler was still there.  In the parking lot.  Desperately trying to sell the colorful scarves and hats that his wife had made.

My friend pulled up and asked the old man a couple of questions about his goods.  She told him that she didn't think she needed any of them, but asked him if a little money would help him and his family out.  She gave him a few dollars.  The old peddler graciously thanked her.  She then asked him if he was hungry or if he needed any food.  The old peddler said that he had just eaten but thanked her as well.

King Benjamin's Speech

I don't think it's easy to know when to give to others.  It's something that I constantly struggle with.  Maybe both of my friends totally got scammed today in their efforts to give.  But even if the pen salesman and the old peddler were not who they purported to be, I still think that the givers did the right thing.  And I think that they will be rewarded for their willingness to help someone else.

I've always loved King Benjamin's speech from the Book of Mormon.  He has some great thoughts on giving:

And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

Mosiah 4:24

I think that it is noble to give.  And even if we can't give, we can want to be able to give if we had the means to do so.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ was a free gift to all humankind.  We celebrate His gift to us--including his sacrifice and his resurrection--during Easter.  Even though we traditionally think of Christmas as being the Season of Giving, I think it's just as appropriate to do so at Easter.

Happy Easter to all of you and your families!  =o)