Today is Monday, May 17th, 2010; Karen's Korner #1821
For the past few years, the Marys & Marthas (M & Ms, an ecumenical group of gals which Karen's Korners' readers hear about from time to time) purchase a handful of aquatic center passes for individuals and families in our community, as we head into the summer season.
This is the first year the M & Ms are asking potential recipients to pay a small portion of the fee, as well. Among other things, it stretches our limited funds over more people. In telling of our decision to educators and civic leaders who are instructed in these types of things, they have been suportive of our change.
"We learn it is important people are given the opportunity to contribute what they can (money or time),." said one person.
Another said, "Great, they will be given a sense of responsibility and not entitlement."
It seems that in our haste to help others, at times, we can teach people to not help themselves. Or maybe to wait for others to 'give them' more and more.
I had an experience which caused me to pause several weeks ago:
My friend, Miriam, called and asked me if I wanted several perenniel flowers which needed to be transplanted from her bulging flower beds.
"Sure," I said.
I came home with four different varieties of plants with instructions:
"Divide this clump into two plantings". "This one into four parts....."
Set them out I did.
But then came high winds and dry weather.
If I would have paid $3.99 for this flower and $6 for that one, I would have been out there with my watering can and maybe a hoe. But I wasn't! They hadn't cost my anything. And I knew where there was more. I couldn't believe how I was reacting to the flowers and the weather.
And then I knew: many of the things for which we have need or for our enjoyment, needs to 'cost' us something for us to most appreciate it.
While we enjoy giving and getting gifts, we need to be careful that we don't foster an unneccessary and unhealthy dependency by ourselves and by others.
The Bible teaches the principle of allowing people to help themselves to the extent that they can:
" 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' "
~ Leviticus 23:22
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