Giving and Good Friday

It looks as if the Shipwrecked Mariners Society could do with a new coat of paint for their Brightlingsea old sea mine, now converted to a charity collecting box.


According to Christian Aid's 'Count Your Blessings' calendar's focus for today

"In 2010, 73% of the British population donated to charity."

I don't know how to interpret that percentage figure. It sounds like good news - a majority of people in the UK contributed to charity in 2010. Should we pat ourselves on the back? Or not? How much of that giving was token giving? Or giving in the hope of gaining something, as in a raffle or lottery? What about the 27% who didn't give? Does that mean 27% of the population are too poor? Or too mean? Or what?


It's Good Friday, a day to contemplate the most generous giving, giving all - not a few coins in a charity box, giving life, giving without expectation of gain, giving not to look good - but in shameful humiliation, giving out of pure love for sinners - and that's all of us. Take a look at Dave Perry's beautiful reflection that he posted last year in 'Imagining the Lectionary: Good Friday Snapshot' for more on this theme. 


Christian Aid suggests today giving thanks for the generosity that has been shown and the work that has been accomplished through it. A simple prayer of thanks that people give to charity and that those charities do some good isn't hard. Giving thanks for the generosity shown in Jesus' death and the work accomplished through that death demands much more than words can express.

Image: Charity Box on The Hard, Brightlingsea, Essex. Photo by Howard Lake: CC Licence