Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you. Proverbs 3:28

We’ve all done it, haven’t we? A knock comes at your door. Girl Scouts or Magazines Salespeople or Students raising support for their teams. “No thanks, not today.” They were interrupting your day or evening. You didn’t have time for them. Maybe it was your neighbor, though you didn’t know it because you’ve never really introduced yourself to them.

There is power in giving away little things. Never underestimate the power of giving away a little of your time and money occasionally. The skeptic in me worries about the scam artists out there. Yes, they exist and they’re in our neighborhoods. But yesterday’s verse reminded us to do good to those who deserve it. If you don’t feel altogether comfortable with giving to those at your door, your church probably donates to local food banks and homeless shelters. It’s certainly a good opportunity to help them stock their shelves too.

The bottom line is that God wants us to give. Sometimes it’s money or food or just an ear. The opportunities are there; we just have to be willing to give a bit.