Give love: 10 Day "Give Love" Challenge

Today, one of my besties unknowingly surprised me with the inspiration for this 10 Day"Give Love" Challenge.

Allow me to give you the back-story to this before I explain the challenge to you. A few months ago, while at a mommies group I commented on a friends necklace and asked could I have it;  but not really meaning it, in fact I do that to my friends when I like something they have, but I never expect them to actually give it to me, nor am I really asking for it--just joking. But, she surprised me. She took it off and put it over my head. There it was sparkling as it draped from my neck. She took it off her humble body and gave it to me, right then and there with no hesitation. I was amazed, but I tried to give it back to her. She insisted that I take it. She wouldn't let me walk away without it, even though I really tried giving it back to her. Then, the following week she gave me the matching earrings. I'll never forget it and I think about it everytime I wear the necklace.

So, fast-forward to today and you'll begin to see where I'm going with this. One of my besties commented a few different times on how much she liked the necklace I was wearing today and she jokingly told me she wanted it (she was present on that day my friend, mentioned above, gave me her necklace), but I wasn't so quick to give it up. Then, after she teased me a little more, I reluctantly said, "Ohhh, okay," as I took it off and gave it to her. Then, she went on to explain that she didn't want it, if I didn't really want to give it to her. She was still holding on to it in her hand, but I wasn't sure that I really wanted to give it to her. And now that I think about it more, I realize that I was giving it to her grudgingly and I surely was not being a cheerful giver:  2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And even though she was kidding around and really didn't necessarily expect or want me to give her the necklace, it still taught me a lesson on love and giving.

Besides, who really wants something from someone if they know the person doesn't really want to give it to them. It doesn't feel good and it shouldn't.  Although, she may not have really wanted the necklace, but she definitely only wanted it if I were to give it to her out of love--not out of obligation, guilt or compulsion.

Yet, I thought about how much I liked the necklace and how I didn't really want to give it up. So, I asked for it back. Shame. Don't judge me.

And she did. She gave it back.

Then, she went on the tell me that love is sacrificial (in a jokingly and lovingly manner--though there's so much truth in that) and that's when I realized it. So, I took the necklace off my neck, again, and chased her around the kitchen trying to give it back to her. I nearly choked her by trying to forcefully put it around her neck. It was a lovingly choke. Not, an  "I hate you"-choke. There's a difference.

I finally forced her to take it by placing it in her purse. Ha! I won. And guess what the necklace spelled out in cute, small little blocks: L-O-V-E.  Sounds cute, right?

So, when I came home and started writing, I thought more and more what she said and I agreed: she was right: love IS sacrificial. And it's something God must be trying to teach me a little more about, because a couple days ago,  I read a devotional about love. It explained  the same thing she said: Love is sacrificial. It's not really love if we do it out of obligation, in response to a kind act or in an effort to gain control.

And here, the Bible illustrates the true meaning of love:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

So, I hope you will consider joining me in this 10 Day "Give Love" Challenge. Here it is...

10 Day "Give Love" Challenge
First: Spend a moment in prayer asking God to help you to think of those in your life that could use an expression of your love. Spend time asking God to guide you to the hearts of those that will receive it and be blessed by it.
Then...
1. Make a list of the FIRST 10 people that come to mind. (Don't think long and hard, just write their names)
2. Next to each name list something you can give them that would be a sacrifice for you, but an expression of love.
3. For the next 10 days pick one person and do what you wrote next to his or her name. By the end of the 10 days you should have "given love" to all 10 people on your list.

For example:

1. Joe: Wash his car

2. Fran: Bring she and the family dinner 

3. Dan: Bring him a cup of his favorite coffee 

4. Ashley: Give her those shoes of mine that she compliments me on everytime I wear them

5. Kim: Offer to come over and watch the kids while she takes care of errands

6. Heather: Bring her a homemade batch of cookies

7. George: Walk his dog one night this week

8. Donna: Offer to come over and help her re-organize her kitchen

9. Phil: Pay one of his utility bills

10: Jenna: Take her out for a cup of coffee and conversation

These examples are just a few ideas of things you can do to express love, but remember for this challenge it must be a sacrifice, big or small. And remember love is an action, not a feeling. Thus, it may mean that for the next 10 days, you may not be able to spend your money or your time in ways in which you normally would do, but you will be blessing someone as a result of it. A very wise mother once told me, " You can't out give God," and that is so true. So, as you are giving love to someone remember that it is an offering of praise to God!

I plan to share my experience of this challenge with you, so please feel free to share yours. And if you have a friend that you think would love this challenge, please share it with them. We all need love...so why not share it!