Charity: Gift for All Seasons

​by: Carol D. Donaal

The Christmas season is here! It's the time of year when most of us will be busy searching for the best gifts to give. Stores will hold Christmas sales and promotions, inviting everyone to spend and give more. It is a season when giving becomes almost, if not entirely, a tradition. May we all remember the true purpose of giving as we search for the perfect gift. There is a giving that goes beyond the confines of "gift bonanzas" and monetary value: charity.

Charity is best defined as helping those in need, and it begins at home, extends to the neighborhood, and eventually reaches the whole nation. It does not end when the Christmas season ends, for it continually works in people's hearts. Filipinos, in particular, are known to be joyful and giving even amid difficulties. Charity has always been present through all the storms that cross the nation. Charity is compassion, generosity, and love flowing from the heart, not from wealth. Charity is always for others, never for self, seeking to uplift the underprivileged. Honoring loved ones through charitable giving is a powerful way to create a meaningful legacy and make a difference in the world. A.W. Tozer quotes, "Charity is a virtue which, when our affections are perfectly ordered, unites us to God. For by it we love Him."
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Indeed, charity is the best gift for all seasons. It is a gift that can be given at any time of the year. In its purest form, charity reflects the life of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself fully in service to others. May we strive to live out this charity in our lives. May our honest words inspire life and truth wherever we walk. May charity be released through the compassionate works of our hands. Acts of kindness and generosity, genuine yet straightforward, do not seek applause, recognition, or reciprocation from others. Moreover, true charity flows from the abundance of one's heart and glorifies God alone.