Put Your Actions Where Your Heart Is….

Bren Sheriff
Bren Sheriff

Put Your Actions Where Your Heart Is….

BY BRENDA “BREN”

COLLINS-SHERIFF, CSA

When I was a child, I was surrounded by wise folks who spoke words that still resonate in my heart and mind. "Baby, you can't pour from an empty cup — but you also can't fill one that stays sealed shut." That saying needed no explanation back then. Today, its wisdom has lost its savor, and few live it out anymore. Stick with me — this ain't about to turn into a sermon. It's just good, old-fashioned common sense I hope you'll take to heart and pass on.

Everybody's out here chasing "get." Get more money, more likes, more followers, get ahead or get left behind. Even the phone in your pocket works overtime convincing folks that who they are is whatever's in their closet or how many people are watching their video. Half of it's fake, the other half somebody's trying to sell you something. Either way, it's dumbed us down and thinned out the personal interaction we used to have with one another.

Here's what I know for sure: real prosperity ain't only about what you catch. It's about what you give back. Remember the scripture: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." There was a time when folks with little gave a lot. Our communities supported Benevolent Societies — safety nets that stood in the gap when death, illness, fire, or storm caused harm to a member of the community.

And I'm not talking about money every time, though a little cash never hurt anybody. Sometimes giving is just showing up — helping an elderly neighbor carry groceries or shovel their walk, sitting with your grandchild fighting to learn long division, mentoring somebody, checking on a family member going through it, or telling a discouraged soul "God's got your back, it's already alright," like your life depends on it — because it actually does.

None of this requires a fortune. It just requires sincere effort and genuine concern for someone else — a concept lost too often today.

Now trust me: nobody got strong all by themselves. Somebody taught you. Somebody vouched for you. Somebody advocated for you when you didn't even know your name was in the room. Sit and think back — you'll find the receipts. We all got 'em.

So here's the move, and I say this with full confidence it'll work: stop only asking your youngsters what they did today and start asking who they helped today and praise them for their efforts.  Encourage them to find other ways to help both in the home, the family, at school, at church, or anywhere a need for help is presented.  It's a small change that you can make that pays off, it can be life changing.

A youngster who learns to give early picks up things you can't buy off a shelf. They learn responsibility, 'cause somebody's counting on them now. They learn discipline, 'cause helping folks means showing up even when the PlayStation is calling their name. They learn empathy, and here's the good part - they learn real leadership. Not the kind where everybody serves you. The kind where you serve everybody, and people follow you anyway 'cause they trust you.

That's the real currency here, more than money, more than followers. Opportunities travel through people who remember you as dependable, somebody who helped without checking what was in it for them first. Build that reputation once, and it'll open doors your whole life. Pass this on.

Now, I'm not saying give just so something'll come back — that's posturing. Blessings follow their own path, and giving without expectation is what opens it. Do this, and watch blessings flow to you and everyone you touch: wisdom, wellbeing, a peace in your spirit you can't quite explain.

Strong communities don't come from a government check. They come from folks caring and sharing, watching what happens on their block, from the ones who made it coming back to encourage the folks still there. Our churches have a role too - open the doors, invite the community in, and listen to how they want to be served. Now that's revolutionary. It's God's commandment.

So put it to work at home - this week, not someday. Encourage your youngsters to volunteer. Let them mentor somebody younger. Praise their kindness with the same excitement you save for a good report card or a touchdown.

And here's the last thing, no sermon, just truth: your youngsters are watching you closer than you think. If you talk about community but never show up, that's the lesson they'll learn instead. So show up. It's the most convincing lesson plan you'll ever run, and it doesn't cost a dime.

Giving builds character. Character builds trust. Trust builds relationship. And relationship is exactly what our Black communities need right now to open the doors we've been praying for — unity.

So don't measure your life only by what you piled up. Measure it by what you pour out, and teach your children to do the same. It's worked for generations before us, and it'll work for the ones coming right behind us too. It will work if we work it. Put your actions where your heart is….

THIS WEEK'S QUIZ: Do you give more than you receive? What are you willing to do now to increase your giving index? Remember the widow's mite in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4 — it may change your life.

Answer to Last Week's Quiz: If you're a registered voter, the easiest way to find out who your elected officials are is to check your voter registration card, which you should receive shortly in the mail. If you're not registered, get registered and get prepared to vote in November: find out who's on the ballot, see how their platform aligns with your interests, and share what you learn with those who may need it to encourage them to vote.

For Questions or Help: 773-817-0601 basheriff1@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The illustrations and examples presented in this column are not, nor are they intended to be, legal, financial, tax, insurance, or other licensed professional advice. Readers should consult the licensed professional of their choice regarding their individual circumstances.

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