Giving Love Away
On Sunday morning, March 14, I shared a story with our children in the 8:20 and 11:00 services. Some of you didn’t hear it; others of you might be interested in hearing it again. It is my version of Claude Steiner’s The Original Warm Fuzzy Tale.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there were a group of very happy people. In those days everyone was given at birth a small, soft Fuzzy Bag full of little things called Warm Fuzzies.
When someone was feeling sad the gift of a Warm Fuzzy made them feel warm and fuzzy all over. When someone was feeling lonely the gift of a Warm Fuzzy made them feel loved. When someone was hurt and sick the gift of a Warm Fuzzy helped them feel so much better. But people gave Warm Fuzzies without reason as well because they loved making other people feel better. Receiving a Warm Fuzzy felt so good; giving a Warm Fuzzy felt good, too. They loved to give away Warm Fuzzies and there were always plenty to go around.
But one day, one of the men started to wonder what it would be like if they ran out of Warm Fuzzies. It scared him and made him feel a little jealous when he saw his family and friends giving away Warm Fuzzies to others; what if there weren’t any left for him? He stopped giving his Warm Fuzzies away; he never let them out of his little bag. When people asked him why he wasn’t giving away Warm Fuzzies he told them that he was afraid they would run out. That scared them, so some of them stopped giving them away. It wasn’t long before no one was giving Warm Fuzzies anymore. They were afraid, so they kept them all for themselves.
They didn’t realize that Warm Fuzzies have no other purpose than to be given away. When they sit in the little bag too long, they lose all of their warmth and fuzziness and turn into Cold Pricklies. Cold Pricklies sting you. Cold Pricklies hurt. Nobody wants Cold Pricklies. But trapped in the little bag, Warm Fuzzies turned into Cold Pricklies. It was very sad and very painful.
Then, one day a stranger came to town. He had a Warm Fuzzy bag just like all the townspeople, but he wasn’t keeping his Warm Fuzzies; he was giving them to anyone and everyone. He knew what they had forgotten: the more you give, the more you get and the more you give the better you feel. It wasn’t long before the people who had received Warm Fuzzies from the stranger were giving them away once again…and the people were happy once more.
That Sunday morning I gave the children little pom-poms and asked them to distribute these to people in the church. I in turn asked the people who received one to give it to someone else, either that day or soon after. I asked those people who received them to give them away as well. I have heard some amazing stories of warm fuzzies traveling all around!
You might not have a warm fuzzy, but you can give them anyway. A kind word is a warm fuzzy. An expression of appreciation is a warm fuzzy. A hug in a difficult time is a warm fuzzy. A gentle touch of the hand is a warm fuzzy.
I a number of stories have come back to me of people giving the warm fuzzies around Houghton and Fillmore. People have been deeply touched by this small act of love. We are called to love as Christ loves. How might you simply and openly share the love of Christ with others today?
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Wesley Oden
Senior Pastor
Houghton WesleyanChurch
9712 Route 19
Houghton, NY14744
585/567-2264
