This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
2 Corinthians 9:12
Occasionally we encounter people who can’t help themselves, whose thankfulness and gratitude to God just bursts out of them in all sorts of practical, quirky and joyous kinds of ways. Kanchan is one such person – someone whose door is always open, whose cooker is always on and whose antennae are always twitching, ready to pick up on a need. ’God just brings people to me,’ she says modestly, but when he does, she listens and does what she can to help.
Despite being a complete newcomer to gardening, Kanchan decided to embrace the offer of a veg bed in a neglected community allotment. Seeing others were struggling to maintain theirs, she adopted three more and soon there were multiple veg beds bursting with leeks, kale, beans, courgettes and other produce all destined for those she spotted that needed them. Some were given fresh out of the ground, others were turned into delicious pakoras, ratatouille or curries to give away.
No-one goes away empty-handed from Kanchan’s home – things flow in and out like some informal stock exchange. Even the bin men get a packet of crisps to keep them going as they pass by. You may not have thought you needed a butternut squash or a margarine tub full of dahl when you arrived, but you’ll find yourself appreciating the joyful generosity of it when you leave.
Her thankfulness to God is overflowing and infectious and makes me realise that generosity isn’t always tied up in a nice neat package. In fact it teaches me that over-thinking generosity can tie you u6tp in knots. So next time you hesitate to offer someone your spare bag at the checkout, make a tray of tea for the workmen outside in the road or give a brolly to the person getting soaked at the bus stop, remember Kanchan and do it for the love of God.
Today's blog was written by Kanchan Shah and Fiona Mearns.
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