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So, 

I was online reading a story from NPR, National Public Radio, about a woman who figured out that her mother was caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s Disease.

Then the daughter/granddaughter also figured out that her mother was also suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s.

Only in her early 20’s, she has had to move into the maternal house to take care of both. 

Since moving in, grandmother has died, but she still has had to stop her life to care for another and sincerely wonders what will become of her when the day arrives that she can emerge from being a caretaker.

Caring for others as part of our generosity as we follow Christ seems kind of obvious. But understand it can be costly. 

Doing the right thing often is!

But as the scriptures made clear last week caring is the way to go.

But there is more! 

We can be charitable and caring by filling a shoebox or a Thanksgiving basket, or we can move into our childhood home and care for our parents and perhaps our siblings, who cannot care for themselves. 

One has a cost. The other is costly.

Sharing a few dollars even in a cash strapped house when filling a basket or a shoebox is a great way to follow Jesus - who asked his disciples to leave everything behind and follow him.

But to be clear, sharing your life with another is a truly another level.

Jesus lived in a time where students of great teachers often did just that, uprooted themselves and went with the teacher because they wanted to experience not only what the teacher’s head knowledge was, but they wanted to see that teaching applies in real, everyday life.

A classroom is great for math and chemistry. So is a band room to learn the basics of music. But the basics are nothing compared to playing a concert for others to listen to and enjoy.

The reality is, teaching life and eternity has to happen outside the classroom, outside the synagogue, the chapel, even the sanctuary. 

Because while the kingdom of God is alive and well in the classroom, it is even more alive outside of it. 

Derrick Cash tells the story of shopping at Walmart and suddenly realizing that his sugar/glucose has gone too low. So he went and found a couple of bananas, then went to the check out to pay for them and discovered he didn’t have enough to pay for them.

The woman ahead of him in line put down enough money to pay for them, but then when Derrick looked up to thank her, she was gone. Derrick thinks of it as he , “entertaining angels unaware” story.

I think of it as the story of a disciple who knew that caring for others was not an optional activity, but a requirement of following Jesus!

Last Sunday night we watched another episode of The Chosen. What a great TV series it is as it challenges us to think more deeply about who we think Jesus is, and who we think the disciples were.

The story was about Peter being told by Jesus to put his fish nets back in the water even though Peter was exhausted after fishing all night with no catch.

Peter does, and the catch is overwhelming. And as Peter and the others try to haul in the catch and in the process nearly sink the boat, and no little dinghy but a full fishing boat; Jesus laughs!

They are amazed, astounded, overwhelmed by the generous catch – the overwhelming abundance of fish. And smiles and laughs as if to say, “do you see now what God can do”?

The abstract principle of generosity works fairly well in church on Sunday morning. But how does it work at the grocery store? When it comes time to pay the bills. When your children or spouse are a pain. 

When you are confronted with difficult decisions, life changing ones, at work, at your polling place, or when you are the object of derision or scorn because you are putting to work your faith.

You are believing God has got you. 

Knowing at your very core that you are blessed to be a  blessing.

Jesus lived with and traveled with his disciples. Imagine what they saw and experienced of the Messiah as he modeled faith in all kinds of situations.

Now, I would say, caring is something we do for others. 

But sharing is something we do with others.

Like the Apostle Paul sharing with Aquila and then Pricilla as he did what he needed to do to pay the bills, make tents. 

It was royal work, that is, for the most part the tent making industry was centered on making housing for the Roman legions as they held together their far-flung empire from Britain in the West, across Europe, into modern day Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and then back west through Egypt and more parts of Africa – troops numbering possibly 400,000 individuals! 

And needing tents. Paul was helping make them. It’s how Paul became a Roman citizen. 

And now, he was living with and sharing with his hosts, just as he did with the Jews in the synagogues in Corinth, the amazing news of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Sharing is a transferable gift. You can help others become sharers!

The generosity of offering your life to another, perhaps by being a mentor, a teacher, a friend, a guide, means that you are doing exactly what Jesus modeled for his disciples.

And Paul did as his master did. He poured out his life generously and shared!

And when Apollos from Alexandria in Egypt came to town, Aquila and Pricilla, followed the model Paul had given them, took Apollos in and mentored, taught, befriended, and guided him into becoming an even more effective disciple for Jesus Christ.

Generosity at its core is not about money. 

It’s about our attitude. 

Seeing our blessings and sharing them, by caring for others! Filling a Thanksgiving basket if we can, or a shoebox but even more by sharing our lives and our faith with folks whom Jesus has sent to us to mentor.

So be generous, and share with others the good news.

 Blessed to be a blessing. Amen.