Giving Friends,

It’s been another tough year. A year of digging in, choosing sides, back turning. A severe year. And it looks like we have more of the same ahead. Some of us are coming out less rich, some richer. And all that giving we did last year--what good did it do?

It might seem the poor have picked sides, or maybe it appears the side that is on the side of the poor is the other side. Some might feel like they gave to the wrong side last year. How to give to the poor again? (And again and again and again!)

Try this: recognize the poverty that speaks to you. Give to poor lands and waters, poor systems, poor minds, poor causes, poor species, the legally poor, the spiritually poor, the poorly skilled, poor relatives.

The literal and metaphorical orphans and widows or our world aren’t hard to find; only look for them and help look out for them. Poverties abound; may our giving abide, both money and our merciful works. Really stumped?

Imagine yourself poor (literally or metaphorically) and give what you would give yourself. Remember “What seems like a trivial, simple gesture of giving may feel like a miracle to the receiver! The simplest of acts can be met with astonishment.” Astonish yourself this year and give to the poor, even when being more rich or less rich makes it tough to do.