To Share...or Not to Share? - by Maryanne Grimmett

I love gas stations, because gas stations mean candy.  And, trust me, nobody appreciates candy more than this girl.  So….yesterday I was perusing the sugar aisle at a service station in Marion, positively giddy with excitement at the numerous options showcased before me.  Should I go with Sour Jacks, my tried-and-true standby with its paradoxical blend of sour and sweet?  Or should I indulge in a Reese’s, which now boasts manifold versions such as Whipped, or Big Cup, Dark Chocolate, or Minis?  Since I was on my way to church, I opted for something a little classier, the age-old mint.

But, alas, settling on mints did little to narrow down the choices.  For, you see, that left me to vacillate between Certs, BreathSavers, Altoids, and all of their many offshoots.  But something, just something drew me to the Ice Breakers.  Maybe it was the bright blue packaging, maybe it was the flavor crystals, maybe it was the fact that they’re sugar free.  More than likely, it was because they were the cheapest option.

Midway through the church service, I dug the Ice Breakers out of my purse and started to pop the top.  It was then that I noticed something interesting.  Ice Breakers gives you two options…a tab labeled “to share” and a tab labeled “not to share.”  But what really stood out to me was the fact that the “to share” tab opens with just barely enough room to shake out lonely little mint.  By contrast, the “not to share” tab opens so wide that you have to be careful or all your mints will spill out on the floor.

At first, I wondered if that was a packaging mistake.  You’d think that, with other people reaching in for mints, you’d want the “to share” tab to open easily and generously.  But then it occurred to me that this was most definitely intentional.  In fact, this reflects the unfortunate but typical attitude toward giving (or, more accurately, NOT giving) that pervades our culture.

We are a culture that wants…and wants a lot.  Unfortunately, we are less inclined to give.  But think about Luke 6:38: “Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete with it shall be measured to you again.”

What if we switched the tabs?  What if we took God at His word and gave generously, freely, and excitedly?  What if we gave God all of our time, talents, and finances and trusted Him to dictate their use?  What if?

I can’t wait until someone whispers across the pew, “Do you have any candy?”  I’m going to pop the “not to share” tab and shake it until the Ice Breakers overflow.