Doing good by being lazy

The Vol-in-Law wrote out a Christmas check to the Salvation Army, but it has sat - in its envelope- on our sideboard for some weeks now. He finally noticed it last night and after some self-excoriation, I told him not to worry about it - as I would make an online donation because I wanted to add a little bit extra.

I explained I wanted to add some more money because, as is the current fashion at my work, I can give to charity and then email my colleagues saying "I have donated the money I would have spent on Christmas cards to ___________. Please accept this email as an alternative."

The Vol-in-Law was apalled. "Do you mean," he said, "that you and your colleagues are too lazy to sign and address a few Christmas cards and so make a tiny donation and then send emails out instead. And then you expect to be lauded for your Christmas charity that you should have been giving anyway?"

"Yeah, that's about right."

And although he didn't give the exact quote:

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:3)

...the Vol-in-Law did say something about right and left hands. I, too, remembered the lesson of Ananais and Sapphira which was played up big time at my grandfather's Church of Christ, and which I always thought was a bit harsh. And I thought of the other lesson of the man who let the coins fall into the collection from a great height and received his reward in that rather than in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And then I thought about how I wouldn't actually spend any money on Christmas cards since I have a box full of old ones that I've picked up in years past in the post-Christmas sales. Technically, I could give nothing and still send out that email. And then I thought about how I'm always rubbish at remembering to give cards to colleagues anyway, so this email thing might be the best possible solution all round.

________

Actually, I've just made the online contribution to the Salvation Army - and perhaps I'll be able to say in my email "I've made a donation over and above our normal Christmas gift."