Eventually, I called his father, Brad, because I could tell that someone had been training him to think about his money and his responsibility for giving. His father told me that Thomas, like most of us, occasionally struggles at times with managing his money. He likes it alot. He likes to spend it alot. And he needs to recognize the blessing of sharing. And so, that day, his father encouraged him to give his quarter away. By giving his quarter to me, he was, in essence, trusting that I would handle it properly and get it where it was needed.
Here's what struck me....
Every Sunday, we are given the chance to offer to God the best that we have as an act of worship and obedience. We come together, as a community of faith, celebrate God's faithfulness to us, collect our responses through our gifts, and then disperse those offerings through those gifted to identify the needs and purposely direct it.
It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. [1 Corinthians 9:11]
- Brad, thanks for training your son. All the Sunday School lessons in the world can't compete with the heart of a father patiently discipling his son.
- Thomas, thanks for obeying your father and doing so in a gracious manner.
- Heavenly Father, thanks for giving us what we need and freeing us to release our grips.
- Trinity, let's follow their example in our generosity and honor their trust by managing wisely!
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