Giving Is Always Offensive

We were working on moving from Canton, MI to Ypsilanti, MI and we were getting rid of stuff. I was amazed at how much stuff we had that we never used. Around the corner from our neighborhood was a Goodwill thrift store. We dropped our stuff off there, knowing it would be sold for pennies to people who needed it way more than we did.

I made the fateful mistake of checking in on Foursquare that day. The check-in posted to Facebook.

All hell broke loose.

People were upset that we went to Goodwill. Then other people were upset at the people who were upset with us.

All we wanted to do was give some things that still had value to a place where people who needed them could get them. I was shocked to see the back and forth and anger that was caused by something like giving.

When Cru officially changed its name from Campus Crusade for Christ to Cru lots of people stopped supporting the missionaries because of it. To some, giving to Cru was a capitulation to the world. They were angry and offended that you would continue to give to an organization that took "Christ" out of its name.

I'm learning that giving is always offensive. Whether you give of your time or talents or treasure it will offend someone. Giving is risky business. If you give, you'll probably take some heat.

But, hey, do it anyway.

Because I'm also learning that doing something worthwhile typically means you're offending someone, somewhere.