An ABC of Faith

Benevolence

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

It was Charles Dickens who. in his well known work, Oliver Twist, wrote, “Without strong affection, and humanity of heart, and gratitude to that Being whose code is mercy, and whose great attribute is benevolence to all things that breathe, true happiness can never be attained.”

Whilst the word benevolence may seem to be a word from another era, the need for a benevolent spirit in our day and age appears to be more necessary than ever. Yet the word is beginning to reappear in the realm of modern sociology that stresses, “Benevolence, compassion and a sense of connectedness towards others doesn’t have to be a difficult thing to achieve. This is because these qualities are a natural part of our humanness, when we allow them to be. What gets in the way of that? – anything we allow to do so! Negative beliefs, lack of confidence, avoidance of risk, stressed responses, e.g. ‘I don’t have time for this’ or ‘what if they want something from me that I don’t want to give?’”

Isn’t it amazing how scriptural words or at least their latent meaning has a way emerging in the language of our times. In our verse from Luke, we see the challenge of Jesus is to be merciful and to live in a way that makes the first move towards forgiveness, that is, to be non-judgemental of others and to always want to give. Mercy doesn’t count what it gives nor look for anything in return. Mercy is the heart of God’s love.

Jesus invites us to be as God is – nothing less! He does not intend to overwhelm us or cause us feel frustrated by such an enormous invitation, but wants us to wonder at the immensity of God's capacity to love. In our humanity, we are not infinite, but we are called to great love and hope. The invitation reaches to us as we are in our lives, calling us into the life of God.

Lord, I am the focus of your indiscriminate love. Grant me a profound appreciation of this limitless gift. Transformed by this love, may I in turn show unrestricted loving to others-especially to with whom I live and have my being. Amen