share

A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch at McDonald's.  He noticed that they had ordered one meal, and an extra drink cup.  As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries, one for him, one for her, until each had half of them.

Then he poured half of the soft drink into the extra cup and set that in front of his wife.  The old man then began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her hands folded in her lap.

The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they didn't have to split theirs.

The old gentleman said, "Oh no. We've been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will always be shared, 50/50."

The young man then asked the wife if she was going to eat, and she replied, "In a moment.  It's his turn with the teeth."

Those are two people who have truly learned what it means to share with one another!  And that's a lesson that we've all been taught from the time we were little children -- "you need to share."  Of course, as children, we were much more anxious for others around us to learn how to share!

 A willingness to share what we have with others should be a mark of Christianity:

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (I Timothy 6:17-19)

When we share with others, it helps to break the chains of materialism that enslave us.  And don’t doubt for a moment that we are slaves to what we own.  We think we own our possessions, but all too often they own us.  As long as I still have something in my possession, I believe I own it.  But when I give it away, I recognize God as the owner, myself as the steward, and others as the intended beneficiaries of what God has entrusted to me.

Know someone in need?  Why not demonstrate a willingness to share today.

-alan smith