December 30: Give Generously
♫ Music:
Day 34 - Friday, December 30
Title: GIVE GENEROUSLY
Scripture #1: Acts 20:35
“And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Scripture #2: Luke 6:38
”Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Scripture #3: 2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Scripture #4: Matthew 6:3–4
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Poetry & Poet:
“Choosing God”
by Mothers Union
Choosing God,
choosing to let your child be born in poverty
and of doubtful parentage
choosing an occupied country with unstable rulers
choosing the risk of his dying in a dirty stable
after a long journey by a pregnant teenager
choosing to let him grow up poor, and in danger,
and misunderstood by those who loved him.
Choosing God
we doubt the wisdom of your choices then,
and we doubt them now,
while the rich are still full
and it is the poor who get sent away.
Help us, lest we in our anger or ignorance
choose to walk another way.
GIVE GENEROUSLY
As a church kid in the 1960s, I grew up singing “Good King Wenceslas,” enjoying its jaunty tune, and having no idea what I was singing about. Now, thanks to doing some research in order to write this devotional, I’ve learned that Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia’s story is paradoxical, much like Soichi Watanabe’s painting “One of the Least of These,” Mothers Union’s poem “Choosing God,” and today’s Scripture reading.
Oxford Languages defines a paradox as “a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.” It is seemingly absurd that this well-loved Christmas carol that celebrates such extraordinary kindness has a bizarre and gruesome backstory, one containing political intrigue and fratricide (https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/real-story-good-king-wenceslas-carol/). Learning his story, it seems contrary to our understanding of the predictive power of Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) that Wenceslas would be someone who was hearty, pro-social, and other-oriented.
Similarly, it appears absurd that Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, would choose to have his beloved son born in poverty of doubtful parentage as stated by Mother Union in their poem “Choosing God.” It is also seemingly absurd that while we are all individually accountable before God (Romans 14:12), no one stands alone as depicted by how the figures blend into one another in Soichi Watanabe’s painting. And it doesn’t seem logical that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Our Christian faith is full of paradoxes, the ones outlined above and others. Two of the perhaps most paradoxical of the paradoxes are delineated in the Athanasian Creed: 1) We worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence, 2) We believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is God and man, equally. We affirm such paradoxes by faith, as defined in Hebrew 11:1: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. With faith, we, like Job, can declare, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.” (Job 13:15).
It is an act of trust to tell someone that you don’t trust them, like Job arguing with God, and like Mother Union voicing their doubts and asking God to help them not walk away. It is an act to trust, to give generously, and to do so in a way that doesn’t draw attention to ourselves (not letting our left hand know what our right hand is doing). It is an act of trust to keep believing that we don’t need to hoard our resources (time, money, privilege) because God will supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). It is an act of trust to keep believing that God is both just and merciful. It is an act of trust to keep believing that the Kingdom is both now and not yet. Paradoxes all. Paradoxes that will prove to be well founded and true.
Prayer:
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
—St. Francis of Assisi
Nancy Crawford, Psy.D.
Associate Professor
Rosemead School of Psychology
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Artwork:
For One of the Least of These
Sochi Watanabe
2004
Oil on canvas
Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, burying the dead, and visiting the imprisoned are all works of mercy and compassion that have traditionally been known as the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. These acts of mercy bring relief to those who suffer, but they also provide hope for change, hope for relationships, and hope for restoration. The Lord wants our lives to overflow with love and compassion for those in need. Although our salvation does not depend on works, as followers of Christ our lives will automatically reflect one of the hallmarks of his Kingdom—“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31, NIV).
https://omsc.ptsem.edu/artist-watanabe/
https://www.artway.eu/content.php?id=1017&action=show&lang=en
About the Artist:
Soichi Watanabe (b. 1949) is a Japanese artist recognized for the elegant simplicity of his style characterized by colorful facets reminiscent of stained glass. Watanabe graduated in 1982 from the Ochanomizu Art School in Tokyo after having earned an economics degree from Tohoku Gakuin University in Sendai. In 1982 he started a private art school. His paintings have been featured in many solo exhibitions in Japan, Switzerland, and the US. His books include Jesus Walking with Us (2004) and With Joy and Sorrow (2006). His paintings have been featured on the cover of Gospel and World over many years and in many other publications. He is a member and former chair of the Christian Art Association in Japan (JCA), the Asian Christian Art Association (ACAA), and the Japan Artists Association (JAA). He was the 2008–09 artist in residence at the Overseas Ministries Study Center (OMSC) in New Haven, Connecticut, which published a monograph of his work.
https://www.omsc.org/artist-watanabe
https://www.artway.eu/content.php?id=1017&lang=en&action=show
About the Music:
“Good King Wenceslas” (Single)
Lyrics:
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou knowest it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what is his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude winds wild lament
And the bitter weather.
Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how
I can no longer go.
Mark my footsteps, good my page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shall find the winters rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master’s step he trod
Where the snow lay dented
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
About the Performers/Composers:
Clamavi De Profundis is a family that loves to sing together and record inspiring and uplifting music. Their music is influenced by classical and fantasy literature as well as cinematic, traditional, religious, and classical music. Clamavi de Profundis' music is most often either Christian hymns or fantasy music inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien and other modern fantasy writers. Many of Clamavi De Profundis' songs take place in constructed fantasy worlds of their own creation. Also, they have created some wonderful songs and videos based on poems from Tolkien’s classic Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. They compose their own music as well as perform classic songs. Their music is usually placed on their Youtube channel. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/ClamaviDeProfundis
https://www.youtube.com/c/ClamaviDeProfundis/about
https://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/atate/2018/10/22/clamavi-de-profundis-tolkien-poems/
Composers: James Morgan and Juliette Pochin
Juliette Louise B. Pochin (b.1971) is a Welsh classically trained mezzo-soprano singer, composer/arranger, and record producer. She is known not only for her performances in operas and as a classical recitalist but also for her recordings of operatically styled crossover music. Morgan Pochin, the partnership which she formed with her husband James Morgan, is known for their musical productions for artists such as Katherine Jenkins and Alfie Boe, as well as their arrangements for film and television scores. Born in Haverfordwest, Pochin attended the Royal Academy of Music (Junior Academy) and the Wells Cathedral School. She went on to read music at Trinity College, Cambridge, as a choral scholar and also trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
https://www.morganpochin.com/index.html
About the Poetry & Poet:
Mothers’ Union is a British, London-based charitable organization which was founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner. Concerned for the role that mothers play in cultivating faith within the family, Sumner founded Mothers’ Union, a worldwide Anglican women's organization, to promote marriage health and the role of Christian faith in the family while also encouraging family ties to the local church. These same values guide Mothers’ Union in their outreach efforts today. Their ministry has grown internationally and now includes over four million members.
http://www.mothersunion-london.org.uk/SAP.aspx?pid=AboutUs_en-GB
About the Devotion Author:
Dr. Nancy Crawford
Associate Professor of Psychology
Director of Clinical Training
Rosemead School of Psychology
Biola University
Nancy Crawford, Psy.D., Associate Professor, serves as the Director of Clinical Training at Rosemead, and as a former missionary, is involved whenever possible in providing care to missionaries and their families. She is an avid morning walker and bird watcher.