The Gift of Bananas

Donovan, one of our church members, shared a story his family had experienced in the midst of last minute grocery shopping on the Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend. He and his wife had divvied up the shopping list and were waiting in the check-out line. Melissa noted that she had forgotten to pick-up bananas so quickly went to the fruit area to get some. She returned with the sad news that the bananas were all gone and no more were coming until the following week.

 

As they were wondering what they would substitute for their kids who loved bananas, the lady in front of them turned and handed them her bundle of bananas. “Here, take these – I don’t need them that badly. I can wait until next week.” Despite their protests, she insisted that they take her bananas. Her willing sacrifice became a “gift of bananas” for a family whose children would really appreciate them.

As Donovan related this story he was moved to tears. Gratitude welled up as he reflected on a God who cared so much for them that He had provided this “gift of bananas” through the kindness of a complete stranger. At this thanksgiving time of year it was a great story to remind us of God’s gracious provision and His desire for us to exercise a spirit of love and generosity in giving to meet the needs of people around us.

This kind act of a “gift of bananas” which this unnamed woman did for the Mercer family is what you and I can do each day for others. Keep your eyes and ears open to the opportunities to share God’s love in “random acts of kindness”.

My wife, Mary, and I were in the Morden Westside Community Church in mid October. The leadership of the church was encouraging their congregation to get involved in “Mission Possible”. The previous week congregants had been given an envelope with a $5 bill inside. Their mission (should they choose to accept) was to look for a creative way to use that $5 to bless someone else that week. One of the women shared that as she had observed volunteer staff working with immigrants and admired their patience and kindness as they dealt with each individual she felt God wanted her to bless them with coffee and donuts. She used the $5 bill plus more of her own money to bring them a refreshing break in the late morning during a lull in their meetings. She told them how impressed she was with the kind manner in which they treated each person and she wanted to bless them with the gift of coffee and donuts. She was amazed at the response – they were overwhelmed by this one act of kindness on her part. Several of the volunteers broke into tears and said that no one had ever acknowledged their work before. They were touched by the fact that she had observed and taken time to encourage them.

That following week the churches in Morden were encouraging their members to participate in  a “Love Morden Week”. People who are part of a small group in their church were to come up with an idea of how to love their city. Some suggestions were to bless a business with baking, doing yard work for some seniors, fill up windshield washer fluid for cars at a gas station. In their own way they are “giving the gift of bananas” and brightening someone else’s day.

The Bible often exhorts us to be kind, generous and gracious in our dealings with others. Proverbs 11:25 NLT says: “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

What “gift of bananas” can you give to someone today to brighten their day and encourage them? Your act of kindness may influence others to give thanks to God for you and remind them of God’s care for them. “For the Lord God is our sun and shield. He gives grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” (Psalm 84:11 NLT)

Remember...Remember Not...

My wife, Mary, does a great job on making a creative memory scrapbook for each of our children. She began this project 10 years ago after the death of our youngest son Joshua. Each of our children received an identical album and we have the original. My wife wanted to preserve the memory of our youngest son in a meaningful way and also for each of the siblings so they can share with their children about the uncle they never knew.

Mary is presently working on a creative memory scrapbook for our youngest daughter, Sara Joy. Our oldest son Jonathan received his creative memory album two years ago. This Christmas she gave our oldest daughter Jodine her creative memory album of her life. It includes pictures from birth, her school years, her marriage to Kimbal and concludes with a family picture of them with their 4 children. There were lots of laughter and comments of “Remember when…”

Ah, the memories. It’s good to look back and remember. Most often our albums include the happy moments of growing up. It isn't that we haven't had some not-so-great things happen - the painful injuries, the bouts with various sicknesses, the upheavals and conflicts that inevitably come to all families—but they just didn't make it into the memory book.

All of us have an album of memories, stored away, not just in a book, but in the memory banks in our mind. And some of us think a lot about things in the past, and talk a lot about them, too. But which things? Well, God has something important, even liberating, to say about what's in your past, especially the things you keep bringing up again and again.

There is a time to look back and remember. In Isaiah 46:9 God calls on his people to “remember the former things of old; for I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me.” There are some things that God wants us to remember. But in Isaiah 43:18 He says, “Remember not the former things; do not dwell on the past.”  Is God contradicting Himself?

       

We need to read the context. Beginning at verse 16 of Isaiah 43 God is talking to people who have been through a lot of pain -- people who have lost a lot of things they care about. There are some parts of the past God says they need to remember, and some they need to forget. "This is what the Lord says, He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters." God says remember that stuff  - when God led you, provided for you, the highlights of your life. There are some parts of the past you need to forget. "Forget the former things; and do not dwell on the past." In other words, don't keep your pictures of the ugly stuff.

He goes on to say, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Don’t miss the glorious things God is about to do for you ... because you've got your nose buried in your pictures from the past!

Does your memory album have a lot of mental pictures of the painful moments in your life? Are some of the folks close to you tired of your going over, and over, the times you've been hurt and wronged. God's Word is clear -- forget that stuff. What kind of memory album is filled with pictures of the ugly times? If you dwell on the past -- if you live in the past, you may miss the new things God wants to do with your future.

There is one good reason to look back -- to relive those countless moments in your life for which you can praise God! What He has done in the past He will do again. The parted seas…the deliverances…the conquered obstacles…the divine interventions and the miraculous provisions ... ways in the desert ... streams where it looked like there would be nothing for your need.  In Isaiah 43:20-21, God says, "I provide water in the desert ... to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise."

Remember…remember not! Which past are you going to dwell on? The painful past? That will just keep that pain alive right into your future. I encourage you to dwell on the praiseful past -- all the ways your loving God has been there for you over and over again. Those memories will get you ready for the next exciting chapter in your life with this awesome God of yours.

Our family albums aren't full of images of the bad times. The images we keep reviewing are the good times. That's how it needs to be in that photo album in your heart. The reason to remember is to relive your memories of life  and give thanks to your wonderful Heavenly Father who leads you.