Generosity
By Ryan Roth Klinck
Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph."
Genesis 45:3a
My friend,
You are invited
to go to your
Facebook/ Instagram/ Twitter/ social media whatever
and scroll…
Yes!
That’s right!
You are being given permission to scroll!
What!???
Seriously.
Please...
Go take a break.
Just, come back over here when you're done,
Because there’s more down below
⇩
So go on then...
Go
⇩⇩⇩
Scroll
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Scroll
⇩⇩⇩
Scroll
⇩⇩⇩
Scroll
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Oh hey there!
You’re back!
So wonderful to see you again friend!
I am curious...
What did you notice when you went to scroll?
What posts popped up?
What were people sharing?
What were they offering out into the world?
When I went and scrolled
I noticed
Video after video
being posted.
One person had made a funny video of a socket puppet “eating” cars as they drove by their window.
Several folks played guitars or other instruments, sang a song. One family even played songs in their jammies.
Other people read books, drew pictures, and a few even danced!
I noticed in the posts that all of the video authors named that they wanted to do something to encourage others while they were stuck at home due to the pandemic.
All I could think as I scrolled past these videos was,
“Wow! How generous are these people?”
I think it takes a great deal of courage to share something with other people, especially when it is something that we love.
To reveal ourselves in such a vulnerable way before others and say,
“Here I am.
This is what I love.
This is my not so small thing I have to offer you,”
Maybe you do not feel comfortable enough to post something on social media.
Maybe you do not know what you have to share.
That is okay.
Joseph’s story felt a bit like a long scroll.
You kind of had to wonder…
“It is sure taking him a while.”
“How long is he going to string along his brothers?”
“When is he going to finally reveal himself?”
Sometimes it takes time for us to find ourselves.
Sometimes it takes time to find what we would like to share.
Sometimes it takes time to find a way to share what we have to offer.
So, go...
Take some time to listen to that great I AM within you.
What does it say?
Who are you?
What does that I AM long to share with this world?
And when you are ready…
And only when you are ready to generously offer this gift
Share your not so small gift in the way you best see fit.