Fearfully and Wonderfully made

David has me reading a book called In the Likeness of God by Dr. Paul Brand. He was a doctor who worked with leprosy patients for a large part of his life, both in India and the U.S. The book is his reflections on the human body, and how it's systems are analogous to ways we live our lives. In the section on skin, and how we must touch to be happy, I came across this: "An old Chinese proverb says: "nothing can atone for the insult of a gift except the love of the person who gives it" If I go up to a man who looks poor, press a ten-dollar bill in his hand, and walk away, I am really insulting that person. My action says, "You can't take care of yourself- here's a gift for you ." But if I involve myself in his life, recognize his needs, and stand alongside him, sharing what resources I have with him, he is not offended".

I think this is something comfortable Americans (myself included) miss a lot. We sometimes have the approach of throwing money and resources at a problem, and not really getting to know who and what the problem is. Giving from what God has blessed us with is not a bad thing, we just are missing out on something if that's all we do. Dr Brand returns to the body analogy. "If we choose to love only in a long distance way, we will be deprived, for skin requires regular contact if it is to remain sensitive and responsive." God demonstrated this when he sent Jesus. There was a need to come close, not just love from a distance.

~Ephesians 5:1-2