The Heart of a HeroExemplo

Charity

Charity occasionally gets a bad rap from those who are in the position to give as well as from those who need to receive love. And because each of us has fallen into either of those categories multiple times in our lives, let’s reclaim the power and hope of charity.

At its shining best, charity is loving others without judgment and with God’s love.

Our society benefits greatly from organizations and individuals who witness a need and take bold or modest steps to meet it. A hero is compelled by agape, or selfless love. This is charity.

The pure truth and awe of Christ’s sacrificial love is the source, model, and motivation for our own selfless love. We are compelled and inspired by God, who knows everything about us—our highest hopes and our deepest fears, our noble intentions and our most private sins—and He loves us still.

As we become more amazed at the love and sacrifice of Jesus, He gradually reveals whether we have any selfish motives in how we love. We need not be angry or ashamed. Instead, we can be glad to experience more of His grace. Then we’re ready to serve again with a renewed and refined purpose.

Who are the vulnerable people around you who need your care? Charity comes in many forms. When we think about the vulnerable people we encounter, we can think of numerous ways to extend love and help to each. And when we consider how each of us has different gifts and ways of extending God’s love to others, the list of possible solutions becomes even more extensive.

Our circumstances, no matter how dire, are not an indication of God’s love for us or our value in the world. Sometimes just a hearty hello is heroic in the life of someone who needs to hear it. A kindly handshake might be the hand-up a weary stranger longs for. We are all children of God and all worthy of charity, forgiveness, second chances, and respect. We are all worthy of love.

Live so that your heroic legacy of charity—of giving and loving from an open heart—is the greatest evidence that you, in fact, lived. Be brave. Speak up and step out. Be somebody’s hero and see how God uses you to change lives.