St Basil on generosity

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The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry person; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the person who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the person with no shoes; the money which you put in the bank belongs to the poor. You do wrong to everyone you could help, but fail to help.
– St. Basil the Great

Last weekend involved a bit of trading cars with my brother-in-law’s family. We both have essentially the same sedan and the same type of minivan (really - if it weren’t for different paint, you might mix up our garages ;)). The sedans have just turned the 10-year mark and are showing their age (that is: quirky but generally reliable).

My BIL mentioned his intent to replace his sedan with a newer model. Meanwhile, it was only after some struggle that I found peace to keep my own sedan (I married into the car so it wasn’t one I would have chosen). BIL’s revelation did spark some brief conversation between DW and myself over whether we should similarly “upgrade”. However, we generally share the same goals so we won’t change cars merely because that one is old.

In reviewing the thought process that evening, I thought about how we benefit financially from not having a car payment (even though we can afford one). The above quote from St. Basil must have been working on my heart, because my next thought was, “What if that’s a car payment someone else isn’t supposed to have?” :confused:

While I would love to use that as an excuse to run out and get something new, I think it more likely that we are being called to increase our giving by some portion of what we aren’t spending on a new car, at least until we really do need one. :rolleyes:

DW does not seem to object 👍, though I have yet to explain the full plan to her.

Any other thoughts? Am I sane?
 
i just reminds me of St. Peter the tax collector’s life
The life of Peter, a North African tax collector and banker, bears an uncanny resemblance to that of Charles Dickens’ fictional character, Ebenezer Scrooge. Peter was a merciless miser, cruel to the poor, who dubbed him “the stingy one.” Once when a baker was delivering bread to Peter at his door, a pauper resolute to obtain alms rushed to the doorstep. Out of anger, and to rid himself of the intruder, Peter threw a loaf at the head of the poor man, who received it with delight. Two days later, Peter fell gravely ill. During this sickness he experienced a terrifying vision of the divine judgment he would face if he did not repent. He saw a balancing scale, on one pan of which a hoard of devils piled his many sins. On the other side were angels that had nothing to place on the opposite pan other than the one loaf Peter had angrily hurled at the pauper. The vision wrought a total conversion in Peter. Thereafter he donated all his possessions to the poor. After giving his own tunic to a pauper, Peter experienced a vision of Christ clothed in the same garment. Peter also obtained the miraculous healing of a deaf and mute man

Shalom
God Bless
 
aragonjohn1 said:
i just reminds me of St. Peter the tax collector’s life
The life of Peter, a North African tax collector and banker, bears an uncanny resemblance to that of Charles Dickens’ fictional character, Ebenezer Scrooge. Peter was a merciless miser, cruel to the poor, who dubbed him “the stingy one.” Once when a baker was delivering bread to Peter at his door, a pauper resolute to obtain alms rushed to the doorstep. Out of anger, and to rid himself of the intruder, Peter threw a loaf at the head of the poor man, who received it with delight. Two days later, Peter fell gravely ill. During this sickness he experienced a terrifying vision of the divine judgment he would face if he did not repent. He saw a balancing scale, on one pan of which a hoard of devils piled his many sins. On the other side were angels that had nothing to place on the opposite pan other than the one loaf Peter had angrily hurled at the pauper. The vision wrought a total conversion in Peter. Thereafter he donated all his possessions to the poor. After giving his own tunic to a pauper, Peter experienced a vision of Christ clothed in the same garment. Peter also obtained the miraculous healing of a deaf and mute man

Shalom
God Bless
Click to expand...
Hilarious! It was, in reality, yet another sinful moment but regarded as charity to win his conversion. 👍

Thanks.
 
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