“…God loveth a cheerful giver.”

— 2 Corinthians 9:7

A wise person once told me there are many ways to give to God through giving to others.

The most obvious and easy way is to give money. It is also the most impersonal way to give, although there are those people who hold onto their money with a tight fist.

These types of people give for various reasons, many of which call attention to them. They are like the Pharisees who gave money at the temple and then looked around so others would notice them and praise their efforts. They were totally the opposite of the widow who gave her two mites, all that she had.

Of course there are people who eagerly and willingly give their money and possessions to those in need. I admire them for their priorities in putting God first in their lives. They view money as a tool to help others and live modest lifestyles. They are truly the cheerful givers that Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians.

We can give our money and our possessions, but what about giving our time and ourselves? This wise person I made reference to pointed out to me how valuable our time is. Once it is gone, it is gone forever and there is no way to get it back.

Solomon wrote about a time for everything in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Last week, I went to Artesia to spend time with my mom on her birthday. We didn’t do anything special, but the time we spent together was priceless. She told me it was the best birthday she’d had in years, but I think I was the one who was blessed.

During this visit I asked her to tell me more about the experiences she had as a girl and then as a young mother. The discussion we had made me more appreciative of my mom and gave me a new insight into her early years. It was a wonderful week that I will never forget.

Some people may think the time we spent together was a simple thing that didn’t cost a great deal of money in gifts and birthday cakes, but they would be missing the point. What we came away with are priceless memories that will keep us going when we are so many miles apart.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus told his disciples, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

I believe time is the most valuable treasure we have and giving it to others brings precious memories for both. It is those precious memories that will last forever.

Debra Whittington is a longtime resident of Tucumcari. Contact her at: dawhittington@msn.com