Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others. – Saint Augustine
What does that mean?
To me this speaks to the root of charity, and charity is part of giving with love. We all have areas where we have more than we need, and areas where we have need. We then try to give our excess to those who need what we have an excess, and find the people who have the excess of which we are in need.
This is obviously a religious quote, but even for those of other faiths or who believe in nothing, it still works. Even if what you have doesn’t come from God, you still have some excess, and some need. Charity is about giving from your excess to those with need. In this, we are all the same. We all have some excess and some need.
Why is charity important?
There are tons of quotes about charity, but this one strikes closest to home, in my opinion. It’s about being able to identify what you have, what you need and understanding that there are others out there that need that which you have in excess.
Charity is the act of giving of the excess, usually with love, and in the process, making everyone’s life better. Giving in this manner costs us nothing, other than some of our “cushion” and provides for others that which they need. Even for those for whom religion isn’t important, I believe that this is a noble and good cause.
Where can I apply this in my life?
Where and when do you give? For some, their religion is a place of giving, both of themselves as well as money. There are plenty of social organizations which rely on volunteers to get things done, or for donations. The Red Cross is one of my favorites, as I can give blood in a short period of time, and drop some cash off when I have some.
I have found that I often claim more than I truly need when I am deciding what is excess. Often, through the process of charity, I find that I really don’t need as much as I thought. This is especially true when I see how badly others need that of which I have in excess.
What are your charities (broadly defined to include any giving of yourself, your time, your talents or your money)? Where do you put your extra time and money? Some people don’t even have a formal setting, but are the place in the neighborhood where all the kids are, because the family has used their extra time and money to make a place for them. Grab some paper and write down what you do with your extra time and money.
Now think through what you have in your life that you exists in abundance. Write those down as well. Also write down what some of your best skills are. If you are an expert planner, perhaps you could help a local charity organize their next fund raising event.
Consider what you presently do, and see if you need to add something to the list or not. Then consider your list of charities and your list of skills and excesses. How well do they line up? If you have a skill or excess that needs a charity, consider how you might apply it to those already on your list. If you can’t find a match, you might want to ask around and see if any of the organizations know where you could be of assistance.
Finding charities with needs for time and money are easy, it’s the donation of skills that may be more difficult. If I couldn’t find a need to help with my talents, I would check with local charity aggregation, like religious organizations, schools, and places like the Red Cross or the United Way. The internet is another place to search, using your skill as a key word and your location, you might find a few things you didn’t even know existed.
Now all you have to do is commit to doing it. Select one of your charities and make a phone call, and make a commitment. Tell them you’ll be there, you’ll help with a project, you’ll tackle a task, drop off some cash, bring donuts and coffee or whatever it takes to help them out.
I’m already smiling, thinking about tomorrow, how about you? Get busy, it’s your world too! Mmmmm, donuts! 8)
From: Twitter, @philo_quotes
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/saintaugus105703.html
Photo by PlayfulLibrarian
