Day 27: Beyond the funny...

Today is Red Nose Day.  Many of you may be dressed in red, doing something funny for money, or contributing to a collection at work or at school.  If you watch the BBC this evening you will undoubtedly be moved by the video documentaries of material and emotional poverty both here in the UK and internationally.  The aim is, of course, to move you to give financially, and as Christians we should be generous givers whenever we can.  Sharing from our material wealth is an important aspect of loving others.  Meeting practical needs - whether ourselves or via a charity - has always been the calling of the followers of Christ.  Jesus spoke regularly about material injustice and the early church pooled their resources to make sure that everybody had what they needed.  Many charities who receive money from Comic Relief will have been set up by or staffed by those Jesus has called into this work.

But maybe you can also give beyond your finance today.  Perhaps you can use any new awareness that Comic Relief may bring to you to pray more intelligently.  Maybe you could take notes while you are watching and allow the Spirit to speak to you about things that you can bring before God.  This will enable us to pray about international and national situations and take responsibility for interceding for others.  Furthermore, we can take this further and use the national and local media - newspapers, tweets, television updates - to stir us to pray.

If you feel so led, perhaps God is also calling you to take practical action to love others by meeting their practical needs.  There are various avenues within our church: to help serve local families through the Allsorts toddler group, to serve the rough sleepers of Bromley by serving with the Curry Union, to deliver leaflets to our community letting them know about Church for people who don't do Church.  There are even more opportunities to serve with the local churches together: FoodBank, Street Pastors, the Night Shelter, the list goes on.  If you are a school parent, you could seek opportunities to volunteer at the school, if there is a social responsbility programme in your workplace you could investigate this further.  Consider your passions - remembering that they are God-given.  If you are moved, investigate the ways that you can give time to showing the love of Jesus through your practical service.

Be generous today - and use it as an opportunity to hear how God is calling you to live a life full of life, following the example of Christ.... (Ephesians 5:2)

For the kids:
As a parent, you will know how much your child is able to understand about the reasons why Red Nose Day exists.  Make the most of the conversations that will arise as they seek to understand why they are wearing different clothes or doing different things today.  And use them as the basis of prayer time.  Encourage your children to be generous givers - with their finances and their time.  There will always be ways that they too can serve in a practical way - helping you shop for the Larder, donating their extra toys to a children's charity, visiting older neighbours to cheer them up.  Don't be limited and let them dream along with you...