To be rich in good deeds

Command [those who are rich in this present world] to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
-1 Timothy 6:18 (NIV)

I love fireworks. I wait in the dark. BANG! A splatter of gold sparks fills the sky. They take my breath away. My face hurts from smiling. My ears ring from the noise. When the show is over, I picture in my mind the flashes of brilliance, and a twinkle of joy lingers.

When we do a good deed, it flashes a spark of pleasure in someone's day. We shine God's love into the lives of others. Good deeds are fleeting, though their memory lingers in the mind.

The flash of fireworks affects all those who see it. Love sparkles in the same way: we all feel the joy. Some "fireworks" are small and personal; opening the door for another and being courteous are like handheld sparklers. Some fireworks, such as publicly giving big donations to charity, get a lot of attention. The volunteer showing up every week to help is like fireworks that go on, explosion after explosion. When the annual fireworks show is over, planning begins for the next year.

We can each plan and be part of an explosion of good deeds. Today and every day, God can use us to shine the brilliance of love into the world.

by Lisa Bogart (California, USA)